Burnin' Love
by Hack.Drawer
Summary: Law is in a desperate search for a wife, but no woman will give him the time of day; then he meets Sanji, a former 'bad boy' who takes on the role of his 'coach' just as an excuse to wear his skin like a sweater. In a modern day world where Angels and Demons are titans out to destroy each other, a horrible love story burns slowly in the midst of conflict.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: A story where Law is eager to find the love of his life, and Sanji just wants Law to know that it's their destiny to share body fluids._ _Prepare yourselves; it starts out normal enough but then turns into something completely different a couple of chapters in. I lack imagination._

 _ **Chapter One**_

* * *

It all started one rainy Saturday afternoon when a downpour forced most of those wandering the streets outside into the café for a respite. Receiving moderate business due to the bigger coffee shops located on the main road, the café was nestled between a drug store accessible by street level and the garage to the side. This side of the city was part of the downtown area, popular with tourists taking advantage of the hotels and shopping district atop of sloping streets.

Sanji had returned home from a short stint at college, where he was shamed to admit that it was his own bad choices that forced the move. Impulsive, bad tempered and just a little out of control, he'd promised Zeff to work hard and at all hours to keep the one bedroom apartment two floors above the café just so he wouldn't be forced to move back to his family home. He thought it would keep him from making any impulsive decisions because Zeff warned him that if he pulled any 'usual acts', he wouldn't take any pity on him.

He was mumbling under his breath while sweeping the floors of food crumbs from previous customers when a group hurried through the doors with laughter and exclamations about the rain. He glanced at them with irritation because they had taken away his chance to get a cigarette in. Out of all the shaking heads and wiping of shoulders, only one truly stood out.

Sanji could have sworn the floor dropped out beneath him, and he was thrown into the universe without a jetpack because standing amidst the group of plain and ugly faces was one of the most beautiful creatures he'd ever seen. Tall, dark, wearing a spotted cap and horn rimmed glasses, Mr Gorgeous was everything and nothing he'd ever seen before. He was taller than the others, thin, wearing a dark navy blue peacoat jacket. His face was crafted from the very finest of skin and hair, blurring together to create a beautiful visage that took his breath away. Sanji's mouth watered in a way he didn't notice until his chin felt sticky, and it was only because of his hard suction that drew their attention his way.

Humiliated by his own reaction once they recognized him as an employee, he snapped, "What the hell do you guys want?"

All of them froze, wearing stunned expressions at his harsh words as Sanji caught himself. With the way they were all dressed and cringed in reaction, he could tell this group belonged to beta male club. They were dressed near similar in colored khakis and boring jackets. Some had their hair hidden underneath hats that looked as if they'd survived the first two World Wars, and a couple had beanies. A few wore glasses; three of them carried backpacks while two held messenger bags. They all looked as if they'd just left some lecture hall; none of them looked like they had anything but ramen and coffee in weeks. They were a little older than him in appearance, but seemingly awkward in their own skin.

Sanji gestured at the nearby booths and tables. "I mean, _please_ sit your asses down, you're dripping all over the goddamn floor."

"Are you…open?" one of them asked tentatively.

"Look at the sign, dumb ass. Does it say 'closed'? Anyway, how do you take your shitty coffee?" Sanji then asked, walking around the corner of the counter while throwing the broom into a nearby closet. He struggled to kill the shakiness out from his hands with loud cracks of his knuckles and fingers, red-faced from internal screaming over his own reaction and behavior.

There was some quiet discussion on whether or not to partake in the convenience of the café's wares, the menu looked over with consideration. Once a few items took their interest, the group gravitated towards a booth near the windows, and Sanji took a few deep breaths to gather his composure. He was sure this was just a fluke – a weird symptom of nicotine withdrawal. Surely when he turned around and looked again he wouldn't feel the same way as he did earlier.

After all, just because he was secretly attracted to men didn't mean he was _actually_ going to act on it.

He drew up a tray and slammed cups onto it, along with the café's coffee of the day. His arm and hand suddenly started shaking violently once he realized that these strange feelings did not go away as he'd thought – every step closer to the booth brought him close to the man with the stern face and black goatee, the light from the window illuminating eyes so gold that they had to be contacts. The others looked like Gary Larson trolls compared to him with their plainer features and somewhat skittish behavior.

Sanji nearly dropped the tray out of sheer nervousness, gut gripped with such tight apprehension and awe that he momentarily blanked out on how to breathe. He slammed the tray down onto the table, a near miss that could have been potentially fatal to the café's insurance policy. With his chest held in such a tight grip, he pressed a hand to it and breathed steadily, heart racing and lungs struggling for breath. His legs felt shaky and his knees knocked – it was such an uncommon feeling that Sanji wasn't sure why this was happening to him every time he looked at the man.

Seeing his face turned in his direction caused a terrible _zing_! to Sanji's heart, threatening to completely stop its fast paced beating. He was so _perfect_ up close that it was blasphemy to think that he possessed any flaws.

"Are you all right?" one of them asked in panic, hands reaching tentatively for him.

Sanji managed to let go of the tray and straightened up out of sheer, stubborn will, rattling the table contents.

"So, you losers decide what you want?" he asked crankily, pouring out five cups of piping hot coffee. "Don't even tell me you don't want this, because all of you have grossly yellow teeth from drinking too much of it, along with guts that suggest too much of the sugary Starbucks shit."

More than one of them self-consciously pulled at jackets and shirts in an attempt to hide from this observation. The human in a god's skin looked like he was attempting to lick his own teeth with his lips pulled tight.

"Well, it looks like we're going to be here awhile," one of them stuttered a little, giving a nervous look at the outside. "So how about the house special for each of us?"

Gritting his teeth out of sheer relief, Sanji nodded. Before any of them could open their mouths to make special requests, he snapped, "Don't _even_ tell me you want gluten or sugar free shit because none of you look like you're suffering from any diet or allergy disease, and I don't want to cater to your sensitive guts because of it."

All of them once again looked at each other nervously, and Sanji snatched up the tray and stalked away, grateful he was able to. He heard one of them sip at their coffee and comment, "Wow, this is _great_!"

"I fear we're going to be killed in some way, here."

"Do we offend? Seriously?"

"If one of you survive, please tell my mom not to open my Secret Box underneath my bed. Thanks."

"Should I hold off on this Yelp review until after we get our food?"

Once inside the kitchen, Sanji slumped against the wall with relief. He could breathe easier, his heart rate returning to normal. He wiped his forehead, alarmed at the amount of moisture he removed with that action. He felt like he was going through some terrible drug withdrawal again, and it made him sick.

"Zeff! Your street rat is infecting the kitchen with some mysterious illness!"

"Get out of here if you're that sick!"

"Five specials, and not another word," Sanji threatened the pair of cooks looking over a newspaper on the counter. He picked up a nearby knife, waving it at them. "Or I cook you both medium rare and serve you to the dogs!"

" _Zeff_! He's threatening us again!"

"He has a crazed look in his eye, he's meth'ed up! Should I put him out of his worthless misery?"

"Quiet, all of you!" Zeff snapped at the three, glaring Sanji into dropping the knife onto the counter. One of his eyes narrowed. "Are you on something?"

"Not yet," Sanji assured him. He flapped his white shirt about, his sweat sticking to the fabric.

"Well, stop it. It's raining outside, so I expect more people to pop in. You finish your clean up?" Zeff then asked, glancing out the windows of the door to inspect the outside. "This isn't some mouse shop, we want to actually appeal to people who do stumble upon us."

"That all depends on these guys," Sanji complained. "If people hate the place, it's their fault for serving pure excrement."

"If anyone gets scared off from this place, it's all _your_ fault because you have an ugly face," Carne threatened him with a frying pan as Patty chopped vegetables quickly.

" _All_ of you are ugly," Zeff commented, causing three aghast expressions to turn his way. "That's why you're all doomed to a life of loneliness and misery here in the kitchen. Enough of this chatter – get to work on serving those customers."

Sanji returned outside, catching sight of more customers popping in from the outside. He greeted them cheerily, the women shaking out their jackets and umbrellas. He graciously showed them their seats and charmed them silly with compliments and gestures, serving them their drinks of choice. As he checked on the table full of nerd-men, he lost his footing and slammed up against the table because the man with the spotted cap had removed it to reveal neatly combed blue-black hair that seemed to frame the most perfectly symmetrical features he'd ever seen. All of them snatched up their coffee as it sloshed with the force of his trip.

Clawing to his feet and awkwardly brushing himself off, Sanji huffed and glared at all of them for their concerned attention. "What're you looking at? You want something else besides my time? Your food will be ready in ten minutes, stop your bellyaching!"

He walked off in a huff while the five looked at each other with concern.

"I was too afraid to ask for a refill," Shachi whimpered, looking into his empty cup.

"You think he's drunk?" Penguin asked, horrified. "Should we trust him with our food?"

"But he treated those ladies so nicely," Ptarmigan complained. "Maybe he has split personalities."

"The rain's not letting up, soon, so let's just wait it out," Law said, giving a grim look outside. His glasses had steamed up so he couldn't really see, and didn't feel like removing them to clean them after being treated to the waiter's ungraceful actions.

"This place is so cute, you have to admit," Hudson said with a pleased face, which was covered with a face mask underneath the brim of his hat. "Look at the little antiques!"

Once their attention was diverted once again to their surroundings, more than one face flushed with visible pleasure. Law ended up cleaning his glasses anyway, caught by the old-fashioned decorations and setup of the café. His mouth dropped with awe.

"They are so _cute_!"

"And the _colors_! It takes you back to some quaint English setting!"

"Oh, I love the smells, I want to ask what sort of oils they're burning, but I'm afraid to."

"Look at all the plants! Imagine how much care goes into those to allow them to grow that way!"

"The coffee alone excuses the waiter's bad personality."

"Oh, but we should eat sparingly – I felt totally self-conscious when he mentioned our guts."

"We _should_ look into gym memberships…"

"Oh, man, do we have to?"

"It'll impress the ladies."

" _The ladies_!" most of them sighed, craning their heads to look at the table of women that had been catered so lovingly towards the back. Once they realized they were being looked at, the men quickly retreated their attention back towards their own table. A few seconds passed where they felt safe enough to lift their heads and cautiously look at each other.

Law cleared his throat as he fiddled with his coffee. "Has anyone had any success with their Tinder dates?"

"I swear once they find out my real height, they run in the other direction," Penguin said with a sigh. "Damn this half inch curse!"

"What are we doing wrong?" Ptarmigan asked, gesturing at himself. "We're destined to have good jobs, we live in nice places, we have respectable occupations. What's wrong with us?"

"Maybe they're intimidated by us," Law theorized, rubbing his chin. "We might have _too_ respectable occupations and goals."

"It isn't fair!" Shachi cried. "Shouldn't the promise of being a treasured housewife drive them in to us in droves?"

"Maybe we should frost our hair and wear tank tops," Hudson murmured pensively.

"Or not brag about our Fortnite scores."

All of them looked bothered.

"Look, I've been reading up attentively to major female-guided Instagram posts," Ptarmigan said tersely, hand out. "Women want men who aren't fuckboys, who are well over six feet, can provide wine, and return phone calls. If we just follow those examples, we can prove ourselves to be worthy men."

"They won't even let us near them," Penguin complained.

"Maybe our looks turn them off," Law said with a tight frown, fiddling with his stiffly combed hair. The others gave each other sneaking looks of guilt.

"I thought we were pretty good looking guys," Shachi said with bewilderment, adjusting his sunglasses. "We take care of ourselves and dress appropriately."

"Aren't dark circles and eyebags a positive thing?" Hudson asked. "That's a sign of a hardworking man!"

"Maybe we dress too much alike," Penguin murmured, rubbing his chin.

All of them looked down at themselves – they pretty much wore the same uniform; khakis, button down shirts (in various colors and patterns), with bowties, ties or vests, and matching brogues because all of them thought it was a good idea to invest in real leather shoes. All of them had splurged on electronic watches, made sure to comb their hair and wore knock-off jackets that a celebrity was once spotted in.

"There's nothing wrong with our outfits," Law said with confidence, straightening his tie. "We look like future professionals, and that should be portrayed as such to assure them we are capable of providing."

"I like how these khakis round out my butt," Shachi said cheerfully, wiggling in his seat.

"I love your shirt because it has a fun pattern," Ptarmigan said to Penguin, who flushed with pleasure. "I wanted that one, but in green."

"I found it at Target! The brand they sell there has such soft material, like my underarms don't itch at all!"

"Maybe our teeth are too yellow?" Hudson said with concern, licking his own teeth.

"Damn that waiter for pointing out flaws I never noticed! Now I'm going to invest in a good charcoal cleaner!"

"Oh, tell me how that goes!"

"Oh, _shh_! Here he comes," Shachi hissed, all of them freezing up as Sanji kicked the kitchen door open with two full trays in his hands.

He wobbled in mid-step and nearly tripped as he grew close to their table – all of them cringed or held their breath, sure they were going to have food thrown at them but Sanji somehow managed to catch himself and catch a plate with the tip of his shoe. He slid it onto the table and dropped the tray within the center, exhaling harshly as he did so. Then he crossly dropped each plate in front of each man with a huff, retrieving the tray.

Despite the awkward fumble the food looked amazing, the scent catching the group's interest.

"I don't want to hear any complaints," Sanji warned them menacingly. "Because if any of you complain or I catch a review on Yelp, I will personally track you down and do terrible things to your insides because I know it'll be you. _Got it_?"

The group mumbled their assurances as he glared at each of them in turn before strutting off to the women, showering them with pretty words and compliments.

"Is…is he a Demon?" Shachi asked tentatively. More than one set of eyes lit up with fear.

Taking a bite, Law perked up. "Wow, this is _insanely_ good."

"Holy shit, you're right!"

"Oh man, the flavors just pop out!"

"I don't even feel like drowning the eggs with ketchup or hot sauce!"

"Oh my god, it's melting perfectly on my tongue!"

"Should we give him a compliment?"

"No, _don't_ , he'll take it as a threat of some kind. I want to finish this with my throat intact."

"You're right, it seems like he'll dig out my gallbladder with a teaspoon."

"Don't look _too_ obviously, but look at the way he has those ladies' attention," Hudson whispered. Despite the warning, all of them craned their necks over the booth walls to see the women tittering with pleasure as Sanji charmed them with flowery words and promises.

Once they had their fill, all of them looked at each other with thoughtful frowns.

"How can we pull that off?" Shachi asked in a low whisper.

"Compliments are hard when you don't know what to compliment them on," Law insisted. "Where would you start?"

"No mention of their crazy cleavage or makeup, but he makes it sound like they were _born_ perfect," Penguin hissed.

"I don't think I could be that obvious," Ptarmigan said shakily. "I get so tongue tied seeing big breasts right in front of me."

"We had decided at the beginning of this year that women will no longer intimidate us," Law said low, stuffing his mouth full and speaking like that. "So if that's what it takes to get their attention, then we should take notes."

"If he catches us looking at him, he's going to be _mad_ at us!"

"Did you see how he caught that plate with his shoe? No man does that unless they had years of some martial arts training! That balance was too perfect!"

"Once again, we should sign up for the gym."

"Those big guys with muscles are going to laugh at us again."

"I couldn't take that humiliation."

"If one of us dresses up each time we go, it'll take the attention off the rest of us trying to gain!"

"Despite the service," Penguin said carefully, dapping at his mouth with a napkin, "that waiter probably gets laid a lot by the women that come here."

"Ugh, you're right!"

"We should come here often to take notes on what he's doing. Maybe it'll rub off on us," Shachi said with a startled look.

"Can we do that without looking like creeps?" Law asked with concern, goatee glittering with food crumbs.

" _Ugh_ , wipe your face!"

"You eat like a pig!"

"You're embarrassing us!"

As Law wiped his face, Ptarmigan watched Sanji as he smoothly charmed the women into trying some of their desserts on display. Despite their protests, they looked eager for the brightly decorated slices of pie or cake that was produced to them on dainty plates and silverware. He drooled a little.

"I want dessert," he whispered longingly, still scraping his plate clean.

In what seemed like a flash of the eye, Sanji snatched his plate and glared furiously at him. "Control yourself! You could use a five mile walk after this! No dessert for you unless you finish exerting yourself after three months of regular gym-use!"

As he proceeded to snatch all their plates from them, he couldn't help but notice that Law still had some crumbs around his mouth. Sanji had a strange temptation to clean the man's face with his mouth.

"Oh, I would wipe your flesh clean with my tongue," he heard himself whisper hungrily before hastily catching himself. He cleared his throat as Law gave him a puzzled look, wiping at his face with a napkin. To the others, Sanji snapped, "If the rest of you pigs are through, wipe your damn faces and get the hell on out of here!"

He then slapped down their bill and strode off.

"He's so _mean_ ," Hudson whispered with a near quivering chin.

"I'm having flashbacks of the high school cafeteria," Shachi commented shakily, hugging his middle. "And that was _years_ ago!"

"Those were terrible times," Law agreed with a sullen frown.

"But look at those ladies," Penguin hissed, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "They obviously put in hours of gym work for those bodies, but are practically oozing over their dessert plates without regret! They've been put under some charm, so despite the way he treats us, we can learn a few things from him."

"But can we take the emotional and mental abuse?" Law questioned tentatively. "It felt like he spoke so aggressively towards me because I was the one to speak up repeatedly."

"Sorry about that."

"I automatically freeze whenever someone _sounds_ threatening," Hudson whispered. "Like playing dead in front of a bear."

"Maybe he's just having a bad day," Ptarmigan said low. "He smells like a smoker, and we probably interrupted his smoke break."

"You're too compassionate!"

"But again…maybe he's a Demon?" Shachi said tentatively. "They're capable of that type of thing, tempting and manipulating one into doing things they shouldn't."

"Some humans are capable of pure talent without Demon abilities," Penguin said skeptically. Then he scoffed. "And he's obviously not a monster!"

"Take note of the hours here," Law then interrupted the debate. "Maybe we'll return at another day – those women took pictures of their food, no doubt posting to their social media. They'll give out recommendations to their friends, who are most likely female friends that are curious about the charming waiter and the food. This place will soon fill up with female customers, and we can take notes without him noticing while he's busy with them."

The others lit up.

"Great idea!"

"That's a high possibility!"

"I bet this will help us, too! If we endure his bullying, it might make us stronger dudes!"

"Okay, everyone, the total is an odd number. Who wants the fun in dividing it down to the closest cent?"

"I'm too full to think right now."

"I paid extra last time."

"I _really_ want dessert…"

"Anyone who uses their phone calculator has to pay the total bill."

By the time the group left, leaving behind an exact percentage of a tip, Sanji felt it easier to breathe again. He couldn't believe how rocked he'd been by the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen – of all the women in the world, a _man_ had drawn his attention. It was pretty unnerving because men had never rocked him this way. He cleaned their table, muttering darkly about the mess left behind – really, they were all pigs – but when he came to the place where Law had sat, leaving behind a crumbled napkin and scatterings of hashbrown bits, Sanji had to take a few moments to recover.

He sat in the exact same place Law had, amazed at how his body felt in response to the warmth left behind. He carefully scooped up remaining food bits that had escaped the man's plate, hand trembling. It took all he had to drop them on top of the plate pile he'd made, swearing up and down that he could feel the warmth of the man's mouth on them. His blood tingled in such a way that his eyes nearly rolled back in his head.

"Oh, _god_ , I want him to swallow my children," he whimpered morosely, hand to his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

* * *

The week passed without any sighting of the god in khakis. Every time the doorbell chimed to signal a customer, Sanji's head whipped around so fast that it was shocking he hadn't broken his neck yet. His thoughts were full of every memory he had of the man, and each one only seemed more dramatic than the first. He wasn't going to admit it out loud, but he had the napkin Law had used to wipe his mouth with folded neatly in his pocket, touched every time Sanji thought of him.

It felt like serious withdrawals as each day passed without a sighting – he even started to fret over his behavior. He had used to think that any man that couldn't take his cantankerous attitude was unworthy of a customer anyway, but now he was regretting his impulsive mouth. The others were all nerds – perhaps he'd been too intimidating, and the god was just too good of a friend to come back without them.

Because none of them had addressed each other by name that day, Sanji didn't even have a name to stalk.

"I feel like you're on edge," Zeff said to him one evening, after he'd flipped the "Closed" sign into place. "You craving?"

Sanji had given him a brief history on all his bad acts. It had all been a blur of impulsive decisions, egoism and substances that he'd used to burn out the bad memories. After his mother paid for his last rehab stay, he'd done his very best to avoid all the things that could set him back.

Admittedly, what he was feeling wasn't anything like that. It was a different sort of addiction.

"No," he answered, scratching his chin. "What makes you say that?"

"Boy, you cleaned the place to tiny white sparkles and I can't shit in the toilet without fear of having you hovering outside the stall, ready to clean up after me. So either you're craving or you're on the verge of making some bad decision."

"I'm not! _Honest_!"

Zeff gave him a suspicious look, hands on his beefy hips. "Well, if you're feeling someway, I ask that you tell me first so that we may work it out beforehand. It would be a shame for me to kick you out."

"I promise it's nothing like that," Sanji assured him, rounding the counter.

Sanji wasn't that close to tell the man that he was somewhat obsessed with a customer; he thought it was bad enough Zeff had to tell him to cool it with the ladies whenever he was outside supervising.

 _What sort of addiction was this_? he wondered to himself. Maybe he was just feeling lonely after his own self-imposed isolation. He'd spent most of his high school years and early college surrounded by fun, people and trouble; things that he cut out of his life now for fear of a set back.

It wasn't that unfamiliar for him to fawn over a man – he'd caught himself doing it plenty of times before, but nothing to this degree. He didn't act on it back then because he hadn't had the confidence to pursue romantic rapports with men. He figured this was only some sort of weird withdrawal phase; without an addiction he was subconsciously seeking another to fill that emptiness he'd made.

He wasn't prepared for Tuesday afternoon when the god returned to the café with a couple of his friends. Sanji had been refilling condiments at the tables when the chime rung out, ketchup gushing into a funnel. When he saw them, he promptly overfilled the funnel and created a ketchup pile onto the table.

Out of embarrassment, he snapped, "Every time you come in here, you suck the ambiance right out of the atmosphere! Find your own damn table!"

They scuttled to the same one they'd occupied earlier, reminding him of kicked puppies. But his god sparkled and glittered like he had the first time Sanji saw him as he slid into the booth clumsily, the other two sitting across from him. He was smartly dressed in a similar uniform as last time but with a cardigan in place – an image that made Sanji think of preppy dudes on Pinterest. Sanji melted deep inside. His throat went tight and dry, and his chest clenched, heart thumping double time as he hastily cleaned up his mess. He tightened his lips grimly, staring at his task. He had to keep it together – clean up his impression. If he wanted this man to keep coming back, he had to be a better version of himself.

"I would give anything to be your bedtime honey," he groaned, fitful with his uncontrollable urges.

After he put his things away, he strode over. He was sure he'd have better control of himself now. But his eyes fell onto his tall drink of water as he wiped his glasses clean with a cloth. The sight of his bare, vulnerable face had Sanji gaping with awe. He promptly slipped on some leftover mop water that mysteriously appeared, so he ended up banging against the table in a flap of arms and legs. One of the men climbed over the other with a startled scream, sure he was being attacked.

Sanji straightened up, red-faced and furious over his own clumsy actions. Because of this, he snarled out furiously, "Any of you snap-chat that shit to your two followers, I will find you and _end_ you with your own tightie-whities, is that clear?"

The three nodded slowly as he jerked out his order book. "I'm too busy to tell you the specials, so what the fuck are you in the mood for?"

"One chicken strip special, one mixed rice with baked fish on the side, and a BLT with tomatoes on the side," his god said coolly. Sanji ended up scribbling pointless tornados atop of the paper. His future husband's voice was so smooth and gorgeous that it sent his stomach into knots. It was impossible how his guts twisted in such a way that it seemed his organs themselves wanted to be wrapped up in it.

"It'll only take me two minutes for you to say my name so desperately," he mumbled, pen scratching off the paper. "Maybe one."

His throat was too damn dry. He ended up clearing it noisily as the man made a puzzled expression.

"Any of you sissies want anything to drink?" Sanji then asked crankily.

"All of us will have Coke," his god said.

"Fine. _Whatever_. Best way to clean out your insides with that toilet bowl cleaner. Stay out of my way," Sanji then said, stalking off. With his back turned, he did not see the three of them deflating in a relieved way.

"I'm sorry," Law said grimly as he replaced his glasses. "I panicked ordered with the one we'd placed at the other restaurant."

"He's even scarier today," Penguin said, scooting away from Shachi's lap. Trembling a little, he added, "I thought he was going to kill me! His mumbling truly became that much more threatening!"

"I felt my heart stop," Shachi admitted, clutching his chest. "I was too scared to listen to a thing he was saying."

"We did it, though," Law said. "We managed to make it back here. We passed the first step. The fact that he took our orders means it's okay to stay."

There were loud shouts and screams coming from the kitchen that caused him to pause, the three of them looking in that direction with scared expressions. Law fiddled nervously with his tie while Penguin lifted from his seat, ready to run. Shachi withdrew his cellphone, ready to dial 911. When nothing more happened and a steady silence settled over, Shachi whispered fearfully, "He killed the cooks! Should we get out of here?"

Before the other two could say anything, Zeff marched out, causing them to freeze in place. With his height and gruff demeanor, he possessed a rather intimidating stature to the trio. Zeff looked over the group – he felt sorry for them. They were such a pathetic group of men, destined for long lasting virginities. One of them sitting along on one of the booth benches was overweight with patchy facial hair, glasses that magnified narrow eyes and greasy hair; one of the two sitting across from him was with shoulder length red hair, overlarge nose and an overbite. The other wore a low-slung fedora that nearly hid his squinting eyes, jaw peppered with angry acne. All of them could be best described as single and desperate, but Zeff had to admire their ability to color coordinate.

He said curtly, "Your orders will be completed and brought to you within twenty minutes. Is that alright?"

"Is everything okay back there?" Law asked with some concern. Zeff thought that the poor boy looked as if he could stay away from the dessert counter, his teeth soured by coffee stains. His clothes seemed so ill-fitting for his stature. "We heard shouts."

"It's the usual. Everything is fine. How about I serve you some drinks?"

As the old man rummaged around the drink counter for their request, the trio looked at each other nervously. Shachi set his phone aside and pulled out a notepad and pen from his backpack.

"I'm closer to the window, so he can't see me making observational notes," he whispered.

"On what?" Zeff demanded, causing him to gasp.

"His hearing's too good!" Penguin squeaked.

Shooting them a severe expression, Zeff loaded their drinks onto a tray. "You some group of critics?"

"No sir," Shachi answered shakily. He gulped noisily as the old man rounded the counter to approach them. Penguin looked stunned at the sight of his peg-leg while Law froze in his seat. All of them grew visibly nervous as Zeff lowered the tray to the table. "Um…well…see…we're medschool students. Um…we…found…um…your waiter…"

"Ah," Zeff interrupted his nervous rambling, giving a nod. "You think there's something wrong with him. Well, there is. It's called 'shitty service'."

"Oh, it's nothing that serious," Shachi said hastily. "He's just, uh…seems to lack coordination."

Zeff gave him a puzzled look. "Oh? In what way?"

"He seems to have a hard time walking or holding items. Perhaps…he's overworked?"

"Hmm," Zeff mumbled, stroking one side of his mustache. "Let me do a little observing for myself. The only time he truly lacks any sort of decency and coordination are when ladies are around. He's a goddamn fool around them."

"Oh, no, that's not of any concern," Penguin cut in with a wave of his hand. "He makes a really good impression on the female customers here. From our observations, the success rate of his interaction with them is at a high percentage. But every time he comes to our table, there are…accidents."

Zeff's face tightened into a scowl. "Terribly sorry to hear that. Your drinks on the house today."

Without any word he strode off and Penguin fretted. "I don't think he took that the right way."

"You were impressive," Law said to him with a stunned expression. "You held your own. I would've rambled off some nonsense."

"Thanks, but I might've gotten the waiter into trouble!"

"He seemed genuinely concerned about his worker, so maybe he wasn't aware of his condition," Shachi interrupted.

The three of them froze as shouts and screams erupted from the back once more. To hide his nervousness, Law sipped at his drink while Shachi and Penguin looked over with terror on their faces. The chime rang out cheerily, and the kitchen doors slammed open to allow Sanji out. Once he saw the quartet of women that had found their way in, his entire attitude and demeanor changed.

Shachi made quick notes while the other two cautiously watched from the corner of their eyes as Sanji's rough language and conduct changed to the same flowery behavior from previous. The women were charmed, chuckling amongst each other whenever the waiter gave them personal attention all the way to their table.

"It's like watching David Blaine in action," Penguin whispered with awe. "Everything he says is just the right thing! They're not turned off or away or anything! They're eating it up!"

"To have that much confidence," Law whispered, wiping his glasses off once more as Shachi wrote everything down hastily. "Can you imagine?"

"How does he elude lawsuits with such brazen compliments? Surely it's not because of his looks – he looks like an average male – "

"Who stands under the six feet mark! He's _at least_ five ten."

"Maybe it's the emo haircut," Shachi mused. "The hair over the face thing is popular."

"Or the crazy eyebrows…"

"He's coming back!"

All three of them resettled in their seats as Sanji marched over. It felt like everything he'd said to the women were mangled words of desperation and rapid brain knocking; no matter what he'd said to them, all of them were absolute lies. None of them could come close to his ethereal god; Sanji could have swooned if he knew how.

He forgot the screaming confrontation he'd had with Zeff and the cooks over their orders, which contained items that did not exist on their menu. They were basically making everything from scrap to accompany the group.

He cleared his throat, leaning against one of the booth seats with an elbow. "So. You nerds aiming to be doctors?"

"Yes, we're in med-school," Law said slowly, seeing that the other two were too terrified to say anything. Shachi had his notes covered up, his hand shaking slightly.

"How convenient…you can doctor yourself up after I'm done with you," Sanji mumbled, lost in the brief fantasy of a naked Law in a med-coat, holding Sanji's penis like a syringe.

 _I desperately need an injection_ , _nurse_ , his fantasy doctor said, causing Sanji to shiver violently.

"Wow, you'll be swimming in pussy once you get those degrees," Sanji managed to comment lightly while the men exchanged uncertain expressions with each other, unable to decipher what exactly he was saying to himself. "I guess if you have big brains, you can do that sorta thing. I hope by the time you consider taking wives you won't be looking the way you do. None of you will score any marks with the ladies looking the way you do. I feel ashamed and embarrassed to have the same parts as you guys."

Penguin cleared his throat. "Well…um…maybe you could suggest a few things."

" _What_? Then there's no helping you guys if you aren't already trying! What did I say about the gym? Instead of holding books, you can start by holding weights!"

"We actually have a 5k club," Shachi interjected. "We run nearly every evening after our last class. Preferably by the water canal down there on Sunset?"

Sanji tried not to imagine just casually strolling down there one day to catch a glimpse of the future doctor in running gear. He'd always thought that running for fun was a nasty habit for some people, but now he imagined the man hiding running thighs under tight shorts and his pupils dilated at the thought. The others just interpreted this expression as someone disassociating away the conversation from sheer boredom.

"But we don't run all the time," Shachi amended hastily.

"Between lectures and study, we barely have the time for that," Law said slowly, and Sanji froze because he was being directly addressed. Those gold eyes of his were mesmerizing – like being caught in Medusa's gaze. He _had_ to be wearing contacts behind those glasses of his. How was it possible for someone to have such color coordinating hair and eyes? How was it possible that every inch of this man's face was in such perfect symmetry? God himself craved this man out of clay, and Sanji didn't even know his name.

Sanji wasn't sure how long he'd been staring dumbly at Law but he realized that the man started to look distinctively uncomfortable. Sanji's eyes were so dry from not blinking that when he finally did blink it knocked him out of his mindless staring.

"Sorry," he mumbled, wiping his eyes. "The amount of wretchedness that you three breathe out momentarily winded me. I was almost smothered by your insecurity. What was the question again?"

"Er…we didn't ask anything."

"That's how stupid you made me," Sanji said. "You guys have balls – use them to ask me a proper question."

Penguin gulped nervously. "You seem to get along well with women…perhaps you can give us some hints?"

"We're on Tinder, but it's harder than advertised," Law added. Sanji made a mental note to add the app to his own phone so he could find him. "Most of our dates reschedule and disappear, or we don't get any further from our opening lines."

"I thought women liked being complimented, but I don't know what we're doing wrong," Shachi said morosely.

It took a few moments for Sanji – if he could appoint himself as a coach for these useless nerds, then that would give him some time in this beautiful creature's presence. Enough time for him to figure out what to do with these weird feelings. Enough time to decide just how exactly he needed to feel his skin on his. He could just imagine having possession of that long, beautifully crafted body against his, his nostrils flaring slightly at the excitement.

"Enough time to wear your skin like a blanket," he mumbled low to himself, trembling at the thought. He cleared his throat to disrupt the brief fantasy.

"Excuse me?" Law asked, unsure if he'd heard what he thought he heard.

"If you want to approach women or be approached by women, you can't come off as a beta male!" Sanji then declared, standing away from the booth. "That's what you nerds come off as! You'll need to stop that shit!"

"But aren't beta males important, now?" Law asked tentatively. "Considering this is now the age of social justice warriors, veganism, and acceptance of video games as a favored pastime."

"If any of you mention a video game in my presence, I will knock your heads off your shoulders," Sanji threatened, fist held up. "That means you're a damn shut-in, an introvert! No woman wants an introvert! They want someone who can assert themselves and can protect them! It's all about protecting and giving a lady the very best! You can't do that with _video games_! What a turn off!"

The three of them looked shamed, causing Sanji to cross his arms and huff.

"It's disgusting how men allow themselves to spend hours in front of a television set, wasting precious minutes of life on some stupid video game. That's how your dick shrivels up – by the time a beautiful lady decides to give you any attention, you don't have shit to give her because you're so used to tapping on a button for immediate satisfaction! I hope you all walk away from here feeling shame."

"Oh, that won't be a problem," Shachi murmured.

" _What'd you say_?"

"Nothing!"

"I'm a busy man, but I can find a few minutes to spare on your useless souls," Sanji then said with a grumble, looking as if he were entirely put out by the task. He did not see them looking at each other with trepidation, his words causing brief fear on their faces.

Inside, he was crying with joy; he was going to get closer to this man. He could just hear that melodious voice sounding out his name sensually – his chest gave that tight squeeze again, smothering him with discomfort. He took a few moments to steady himself while the trio looked at each other cautiously, unsure of what to think of his odd behavior.

When Sanji straightened up suddenly, they twitched.

"Give me your names. Let's start off with that. I bet they're real average and ordinary names, too. Born under unlucky stars."

Law cleared his throat once he saw that the others were hesitating. "Mine's Trafalgar Water D Law, but I go by Law because it's less troublesome."

"English?"

"It's a common misconception."

 _Imagine naming your kid after the most beautiful substance in the world_! Sanji thought with a sense of wonder running through his veins. He loved anything associated with the ocean so meeting a man by the name of "Water" meant this was _destiny_. Their fates were definitely entwined!

"My name's – " Penguin started to say when Sanji cut him off with, "I don't care. Listen up, I will contact you – you won't contact me unless I ask for it. I have a day off on Sunday – "

"That won't work for me," Law cut in nervously. "Sundays I have dinner with my family."

Sanji wondered what type of family created this beautiful gift from heaven. He imagined that they all looked the same and had gentle, attractive personalities because as far as he was concerned, any environment able to breed such beauty had to be beauty itself. It suddenly occurred to him that he was actually looking at an Angel – but it didn't make sense because Angels were obvious creatures. He didn't have that overwhelming aura emitting from him.

Sanji had more than a few run-ins with Angels throughout his life, and this one didn't feel similar to those. He could relax knowing that this man was just that beautiful.

"Well, that's important, I'll let you off."

" _We're_ free, we can take notes," Shachi offered but Sanji snorted.

"Tuesday evenings, then."

"It'll be a long day, but I'm sure we can do this," Law said. "We usually finish our run around seven, if that's okay."

" _Fine_. You'll find me down at the mall, near the south side restrooms. Be there within _fifteen minutes_ after your run, or else I leave and you're banned with extreme prejudice from here." Sanji couldn't wait to see Law in his running shorts, with sweaty hair and sweaty smell. He was pretty sure he was in for a treat.

They all suddenly looked nervous. He leaned onto the table. "Don't tell me – you don't actually go to the mall."

"Everything's either available through Amazon or Target. Crowded places actually make me nervous," Penguin said sheepishly.

"There are some mean kids that hang out there," Shachi said uncomfortably.

"People don't understand the concept of personal space," Law said nervously.

"You're all going to die single and alone," Sanji stated with pity.

Zeff appeared from the kitchen, carrying their meals. Before Sanji could move the old man kicked him out of the way, setting down their food with a gruff, "Hope this is to your liking. Gentlemen, enjoy your meals."

None of it was the traditional setup of the familiar dishes – potatoes had been evenly sliced for seasoned fries, chicken pieces dipped in crispy coating, fish so bright that it looked as if it had been caught minutes earlier, and the sandwich created out of a lavish bread roll. The vegetables on the side were gleaming brightly with freshness. Shachi was happy to see that his tomatoes on the side had been honored.

" _Amazing_!" he exclaimed, using his phone to take pictures. "I'm going to tag this place for my Instagram!"

Zeff gave Sanji a rotten look, Sanji shrugged sheepishly. He then returned his attention to them, gripping the blond's shoulder with one hand. "Well, we'll leave you to eat. Enjoy."

"Oh man, hands down, this is the best!" Penguin said, chewing on his chicken strips with a dazed expression.

Law fiddled with his fork, looking guilty. "None of this was on the menu. They made it special for us."

The other two looked troubled, paused in mid-bite. Shachi hastily amended his Instagram post.

"Do you think this will work?" he then asked tentatively. "Can we rely on that guy to guide us? I mean, what if this is just a setup, and he's only saying that stuff for shits and giggles?"

"Well, why go out of his way at all? Especially for this meal?" Penguin said, chewing noisily. "If he's willing to do this, I bet it's just fine."

"But what does he get out of it?" Law questioned with uncertainty, goatee catching grains of rice. His glasses had also fogged up again, Penguin looking at him with irritation. "I'm sure our request was rather troublesome for a busy person such as himself."

"Look, let's take the risk! What can we lose?" Shachi exclaimed. "If we can be as successful as he is with the ladies, we're destined to win!"

Penguin then cleared his throat. "He kept looking at you funny, Law."

"Then he's probably aware of who my family is," Law said with apprehension. "That's the only reason for it."

Shachi lowered his fork. "Damn. We almost had a good thing going."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

* * *

Everyone in the world knew who Corazon Donquixote was; he was a feared Celestial Demon, a monster from Hell who raged wars against Angels and threatened the city from time to time with violence and bad behavior. The human world was peppered with Angels and Demons. Occasionally, each would take form after getting tired of each other's shit and engage into disruptive violence that sometimes devastated a city. The world's military had no control of these beings, their power and strength to immense for mere humans to interrupt. All they could do was stay out of the way and retreat to shelters if necessary. Sanji had a vague memory of Corazon having a brother, but nothing was mentioned to confirm this.

Sanji continued internet-stalking Law – he learned that the man had a dog he adored (a snowcloud of a Pomeranian with his own Instagram page), he loved Fortnite, he had a good relationship with his Demon father(?), and had an unfortunate weakness for cute things. All of this would have been charming if he were a teenager but as a grown man it was rather embarrassing. Though it seemed Law lacked any qualities that marked him as either an Angel or Demon – it wasn't unheard of for either side to have or adopt children that turned out to be regular human beings. It was good for him because if Law was either, Sanji would have sensed it already.

Sanji had taken the used fork Law had used for his dinner that night, slurping at the tines with concentration as he stalked him.

"You're _never_ going to find a lady," Sanji muttered as he looked over a photo of Law's stuffed animal collection. "You're going to be single all for my taking, you delicious piece of meat."

He took screenshots of his favorite pictures of Law – it didn't make sense why this man didn't take advantage of his beauteous nature to look more provocative. He seemed allergic to smiling and posed stiffly with his friends while they smiled goofily. But it didn't matter – maybe it was best that no one thought Law as attractive as Sanji did. That meant Sanji had him all to himself. He would have to make absolutely sure that Law didn't succeed with the opposite sex. If this was the only way he could do it, then he was going to do it.

When Tuesday came he waited pensively for the group near the restrooms. He dressed sharply in a leather jacket, trousers and a plain white v-neck shirt, allowing the drizzle of rain to melt from his hair. While knowing he was a pleasure to look at from the females passing by, he was too eager for the sight of Law in running shorts to fully concentrate on flirting with anyone.

He couldn't help but breathe hotly, nostrils flaring with anticipation. It made his skin flush at the fantasy of Law's long legs being visible, muscle tone obvious with each step. He'd walk right in, meet Sanji's eyes, and Sanji would just know that his feelings were reciprocated after seeing the way Sanji was looking at him.

He clasped his hands together, wiggling with joy. "Oh, I want all your scrumptious children in my mouth! I'm hungry for your delicious fluids to enter my orifices!"

A couple of people passing by him looked at him with alarm, the murmurs of a possible Demon sighting being passed around as he indulged into his fantasy.

He spotted the group coming in from the entrance nearby – disappointed because all of them wore sweats, track pants, sweaters or double shirts that were sweat stained and nasty. Their very appearance made him cringe.

"We ran all the way here," Penguin said, huffing a little. Sanji shrank away from them as their sweaty smells caused an unpleasant weight in his sinuses. "We didn't want to be late."

"Women already hate you all," Sanji muttered as he looked them all over. They had a new member with them – a hulking creature of a man with tattoos that took up their rear with a suspiciously watchful air. For a moment, he wondered if he'd been discovered as a Demon, but none of them were looking at him any differently. "I hope your money isn't soaked in your ball sweat."

"I carry our wallets in my fanny pack," Ptarmigan said, showing it off and causing Sanji to recoil.

"Thank you for meeting us on your day off," Law said, a picture of sweaty elegance. Almost like in Sanji's fantasies, but he wore plain grey sweats over well-worn shoes with Velcro and a hooded sweater with old sweatstains on them. He didn't have his glasses on him, so the picture of his bare face caused Sanji to flush with pleasure.

"I want to suck on your blood so hard," Sanji murmured to himself as he gnawed on his fingernails, captivated by the scent of effort coming from the man. His mouth watered, and it took the leaning of the large man over the others to catch his attention, disrupting his fantasy.

"What will be doing today?" he asked curiously. "My name is Jean Bart. How do you do?"

"This walking rug addresses me like I am a small man again, and I will break his head with my heel," Sanji threatened. "First off, I want each of you to approach a lady – I want to see directly with my own eyes what you do."

All of them looked nervously at each other, fiddling with their sweat stained outfits.

"Now?" Penguin asked tentatively. "Shouldn't we wait until we're cleaned…?"

"No. Part of a man's charm is the efforts he puts into himself. Women love that – even if you look like… _this_ …there will be at least one intrigued by your gross habit," Sanji said with a disdainful expression. "So, get to it. Don't even think about double teaming one woman, either. Get out there, show me what I have to work with."

All of them looked dubiously at each other, then awkwardly separated to wander off. Crossing his arms, Sanji observed women flat out ignoring their approaches; avoiding them with side-steps and quick twists of their heads. He was mortified for them. What struck him as astounding was how the women ignored Law completely. How they could do so was beyond his comprehension.

"What sorcery is this?" he whispered to himself, shocked as a pretty young woman quickly darted away from Law when he tried to clumsily introduce himself. "Are these idiots _blind_?"

He then made a face as the strong scent of sulphur touched his senses. He looked around himself curiously, unsure of where the smell came from. He wondered if someone had farted as they passed by him, looking after people suspiciously.

Law walked over to him with a dejected expression.

"Was that enough to give you an idea of what I'm doing wrong?" Law asked Sanji tentatively, fiddling with his fingers. Sanji looked up at him – he restrained himself from curling him up into his arms and carting him around like some treasured stuffed animal. The man's expression was so pitiful that Sanji felt his heart thud painfully against his ribs like a hammer.

He somehow managed to compose himself. "Yes. Truth to tell, there's no hope for you. You might as well as forget it."

Law's dejected expression caused pain like none other to Sanji's chest. He wheezed, leaning over to catch his breath. Looking at him with concern, Law said, "You are suffering from some sort of heart ailment. You should really get that treated."

"No insurance," Sanji managed to say, straightening up. "No matter. I've seen enough. Gather all your minions, let's scram."

Law turned to call out to his friends when he paused. Sanji heard him sniff the air before looking at him suspiciously.

"What?" Sanji asked cautiously. "I didn't do it."

"…Nothing. Just…there was a familiar scent that…reminded me of someone. Oh, um, before I call the others, I have a question…"

"I do," Sanji said hastily, blinded by the man's flushed skin and sweat dried hair. "I fucking do."

Law gave him a puzzled look before he said clumsily, "The others were concerned with…well, they think you are a Demon."

"I get that a lot," Sanji confessed. "It's all attitude, trust me."

"What's strange is that none of us caught your name. We're entrusting ourselves to a stranger – I…it'd be okay if you were a Demon, but…"

"It's Sanji."

Law waited for him to give his full name and when he didn't, he accepted this with a nod. "Okay. _Sanji_."

Sanji felt his stomach heat and melt with the intensity of freshly flowing lava. He repressed a perverted shiver that caused his blood to bubble, threatening his trousers. He folded his hands in front of him, holding his breath in an attempt to starve the oxygen in his blood and prevent a boner from forming.

"I hope you can help us," Law added. "I know what we look like. We're a pitiful bunch of fools, but we're due for some excitement in our lives. You seem so talented in an area we can't even touch."

"Women are easy," Sanji said seriously. "But finding true love is an incredible adventure."

"I'm ready," Law said earnestly with a flushed expression. "Falling in love with a suitable woman has always been a little dream for me."

Sanji decided to make this adventure very hard for him. The thought of losing this man to some undeserving woman made an angry heat spread through him, an unfamiliar fury building up in his gut. _Death to all women_ , he thought seriously.

Law's forehead furrowed. "Are you sure you're not a Demon?"

"Positive," Sanji lied smoothly. "Why?"

Law looked uncomfortable, reaching up to scratch at the back of his head. "Well, I'm sure you know who my family is by now…"

"Not really," Sanji said airily. He rubbed at an ear. "I don't care enough to delve into your personal business."

Law gave him a perplexed expression, clearly unsure of this indifference. Sanji tried hard not to look guilty, already knowing everything from Law's birthday to his favorite stuffed animals.

"You…almost reminded me of someone. He always gets a crazed look in his eyes when I speak of wanting a girlfriend. He might have helicopter parent syndrome, it's…really embarrassing."

"Let me ask you something," Sanji said quickly, "what are you looking for, anyway? The companionship of a woman? The warmth of her naked body? The flow of her conversation? Or is it just romantic companionship in general?"

Law looked embarrassed, saying clumsily, "All of it."

"As an experienced man, I can tell you right now – it's all overrated," Sanji said grimly, reaching out and patting his shoulder. He had to stretch to do so. A couple of pats turned into a squeeze, and once he did that he found he couldn't let go. The warmth and strength of Law's shoulder seemed to sear hot warmth straight up Sanji's palm and sizzled his insides – he thought that if just touching the man in this fashion was enough to ignite his blood, then the thought of other things was too overwhelming.

He felt like he'd revert to a trembling virgin, shooting off before he could even be touched.

"Are you okay?" Law asked with alarm. "Your nose is bleeding!"

"This is happy blood," Sanji said quickly, staunching the flow with the back of his hand. "Surrounded by women, I tend to get overexcited."

"Then how is it 'overrated' -?"

"It's overrated because women are the true Demons of this world," Sanji said grimly. "They will suck your heart and soul dry, from every orifice! Demanding money, attention, box wine and rom-com dramas at every cinema you pass by. You will not give them enough, even if you sold your soul. They want a manly man one minute, a sensitive vegan at the next. After absorbing your presence for as long as I have, you will not last a single second under a woman's manipulation."

"Well, I heard that it takes three times of falling in love before you find the right one – "

"Who told you that lie? I fall in love at least once a week, and it never works out!"

"Oh."

Sanji could not bear to touch him again. He was afraid to do so. He brought the hand that he'd used to touch him to smell, catching a whiff of that sweet sweat smell from the other man. His eyes nearly rolled back into his head.

"If I could just bathe in your innards, I could smell this sweet sweet scent forever," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Never mind. I was just muttering about how overeager you are to get your heart broken. Listen – "

"SANJI!"

At hearing the bellow coming from two levels above them, coming from a voice that sent ripples of apprehension through his spine, Sanji looked up with a start.

"I told you to stay away from here!"

The Angel leaning over the safety barrier had his wings spread, ready to take flight. It abandoned its human form, taking on the characteristic Angel qualities that made them formidable opponents against Demons. Shimmering armor plates grew over chest, stomach and face; the face itself shifted into protruding bones and spikes, enlarging neon white eyes and creating a Glasgow smile. Angels and Demons spoke to each other through telepathy to prevent from being heard by humans; their true forms rendered invisible until deliberate. The physics of their celestial bodies rendered them able to perform feats only dreamed of by humans; so as this Angel changed into its natural form his massive wingspan, formed out of razor shaped feathers and stark white bones, passed through walls and floor like they didn't exist. Humans went on their way without detecting any other activity from the earlier bellow.

"Sanji?" Law questioned, seeing that his attention was diverted.

"Ah, crap," Sanji muttered, looking troubled.

"You must want your ass kicked again!" The Angel bellowed, jumping down to the first level. As it strode towards him, its height elongated until it was a hulking monster, limbs filling with heavily defined muscle.

Sanji couldn't bear to lose his good impression. He patted Law's shoulder. "You know where to find me. Gotta jam."

He hurried off, hearing the Angel take flight after him with a mighty flap of his razor sharp wings. Law looked after him with a puzzled expression, Sanji running for the doors. Once outside, he pulled his jacket up and over his head, dashing along the sidewalk for the nearby train station entrance. He didn't hear the Angel give pursuit but he cursed, wondering how long banishments for Demons lasted in an Angel's date book.

"Wow, we were we that bad at first impressions?" Penguin asked as he wandered over, looking at the doors Sanji had taken with apprehension. "He ran out of here."

Law frowned at him. "It's time to go home."

: :

The mansion looked like a normal sprawling structure atop of the hill overlooking the city, but once the doors opened they revealed pillars of bones, skeletal pillars holding up tons of heavy stone levels. It was more of a medieval castle inside the mansion walls with large hallways and open floor plans. But Law walked in with an angry frown and bellowed, " _CORA_!"

When his voice echoed throughout the shadows and sent small shadow creatures scurrying for safety, Law shifted out of his human form. "CORA! YOU BASTARD, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! COME OUT HERE, YOU SPINELESS, OVERMOTHERING PIECE OF SHIT!"

"Whhhhhhhyyyy are you using loving endearments so angrily?" Corazon whined from the depths of the shadows. An ominous black shadow with a fluttering cape seemed to draw all the light from around him as he appeared. In true form, the Demon had an elongated chin and curled horns protruding from his forehead; small, sharp teeth grinned from behind bloodied and threaded red lips. The pinpoints of its eyes glowed a deep red – only one of them seemed to wear colored decoration that stood out from the shadow of its face. A cigarette with neon green smoke drifted from the darkness of his shape, smelling strongly of sulphur.

His pinpoint red eyes looked over with concern at the ten foot Angel that shimmered in mixtures of grey and sparkling white, the ethereal glow it emitted eating up the shadows with a light hissing sound. The elongated facial plates had a grimy black and red handprint over the center of its mass, allowing for wide orbital spaces to hold angry neon gold eyes. Its Glasgow threaded smile was a smear of blood and black, misshaped into a smile on one side and a frown on the other. Thick horns curled back and below where the ears should have been, allowing for black hair to flutter around it like a moss caught in a constantly moving wave. Its torso was sharp bare bones as a ribcage, held together by a bony spine with various crooked spikes shooting up towards wide shoulders. Wings fluttered to fold in shades of black and white, spotted with hard thorns that could shred metal. Long arms dangled with another set of arms at the elbow, allowing for four sets of hands with four long fingers tipped with blackened claws. Long legs ending with elongated eagle claws strode with confidence through the shadowy floors – it sounded as if there was a constant fire around the Angel, with the shadows dying underneath its ethereal light.

Corazon was looking onto the only known shoulder devil in the area – not quite Demon, not quite Angel, but a scary mixture of two that sent both sets of Demons and Angels into confused fits because it could walk both sides without fear.

"Don't track your ugly Angel dust over my carpets!" Corazon heard his brother bellow from further away. "You know that shit's hard to clean up! Ruins my beautiful hellish ambiance!"

"Eat cute animal cupcakes, Doffy! Cora," Law growled, approaching his Demon guardian. "You were at the mall spying on me."

"You never tell me anything, I _had_ to," Corazon said with a sigh. "How else am I to know you're making good demonly decisions?"

"I told you my plans! This is something I need to do!"

"I don't understand why you're so obsessed with wanting a girlfriend!" Corazon whined piteously. "Women are nothing but weapons of God, sent to eliminate all of us with their flowery ways! You're going to lose your demonly beauty if you keep messing with those tools of destruction!"

"I want to be _married_ , Cora! I want female companionship and romance! I have a human dick that hasn't been used for this purpose and I'm missing out!" Law protested, double sets of hands curled up. "You're ruining this for me!"

"You _do_ realize you're taking the advice from a Demon, yes?" Corazon asked cautiously, easing out from the shadows. He was significantly bigger than the shoulder devil.

"He's a Demon? I sensed nothing."

"He must've not sensed me because I was standing right behind him. I noticed that his wings were clipped. He wasn't using a Glamour, either."

Law gave an uncomfortable look, his own wings fluttering anxiously. He supposed that any Demon or Angel with clipped wings would be more human than their true personas. "I guess that doesn't matter," he mumbled. "He's not a threat of any sort, then. But he has a success rate of 97% in gaining and keeping the attention of human women, and I welcome that factor more than any lingering Demon temptation abilities he might still retain."

"You're obsessed with women!"

"I _want_ one!"

"Enough of this flowery chatter," Doflamingo muttered, emerging from the shadows. The Demon's faceplate was a constant pink flame, burning atop of his head and between the black spikes of his shoulder plates while wings fashioned out of glittery pink and flame colored bones fluttered restlessly along a sharply ridged spine. His tail ended into sharp points, tipped by black bones. Everything about this Demon was long and spindly like a dragon, with sharpened bones protruding from its joints and constantly moving black mass curling around its body. It lacked the usual closed mouth and revealed two open sets of teeth instead, pink eyes burning with cat-like grace.

"Law. Women are nothing but trouble, and I can't understand your obsession to have one," Doflamingo said, perching next to his somewhat smaller brother while he frowned down at the shoulder devil. "Is this how you want to be defeated, my precious son?"

"Like a mere human can do shit against a Demon," Law scoffed, folding his multiple arms across his bony chest.

"I fear the more you involve yourself with humans, the less you consider the dangers," Doflamingo sighed. "If you die because of one, I will be the first one to say 'I told you so'."

"I just find it funny," Corazon interrupted, tapping his fingers together nervously, "that you'd trust the advice of a Demon knowing that it's his temptation abilities gaining female attention. As ancient beings who have wandered this Earth for ages, it would make more sense that you'd consider our warnings."

"If he has his wings clipped, then how can he retain temptation abilities? It doesn't make sense or work, Cora! Anyway, everything he said to them was enough to earn a slap but it never happened," Law said with a sigh, sitting down roughly with his wings fluttering out. Shadows and ice shimmered hastily to form a comfortable chair under his form, catching him easily and accommodating to his form. "So my friends and I thought – "

"Ugh, are you still hanging around those human meatbags?" Doflamingo sighed impatiently, claws to his forehead. "It's a bad influence on you! You'll start developing empathy and compassion, and those are the worst mixtures for a Demon, it'll take you into the path of Angels. You'll lose your beautiful Demon features! You'll look _pretty!_ Why do you want to look like an Angel, Law?"

"I'm not a full Demon, so anything you say is meaningless to me."

"Why do you insist on stabbing my heart with your cruel words?"

"Cora," Law complained, "if you're right about this creature being a Demon, why didn't I sense anything? Does having their wings clipped lower their presence?"

"It's true," Corazon said grimly, laying down and having a chaise lounge form underneath him. "Enough looking for a human wife! I know some nice Demon girls, Law!"

"I don't want a Demon for a wife! We'd spend more time trying to kill each other than falling in love."

"Wherever did you get this stupid idea in the first place?" Doflamingo roared, pink flame flaring out around him.

"I came across the pictures I'd found of my parents! The ones you so tried to destroy, you vile monster. Seeing them happy together allowed me to think that I can find the same thing."

Doflamingo flushed with pleasure. "Cora, he called me 'vile' again."

"Well, _you are_ , brother, accept the compliment…Law, listen -"

"It _wasn't_ a compliment!" Law insisted. His hands went to his head. "Argh, this stupid opposite thing gets me confused, sometimes!"

"That's the Angel side of you - see, this is why we keep telling you to stop hanging out with those scrumptious human meatballs! Unless you're saving them an emergency food supply, in which in some cases that's excellent Demonic planning!"

Corazon tried again when the doorbell rang out. Instantly they reverted back to acceptable human forms. Doflamingo was a skeletal man with a surprisingly muscled torso, a product of the human obsession for the ultimate combination of muscle and thinness. Not the healthiest subject to look at, but his facial features were bony and concave with outworldishly thick and doctored cheekbones and lips for the ultimate in Botox beauty. Any regular human would shrink away at the sight of him, which made him feel good. He was wearing a bright pink fluffy robe belted loosely over satin pajamas, his blond hair in curlers, face colored green with a toning mask. Every time he saw Law's forced human persona, Doflamingo hated himself for the admiration he felt in just how _ugly_ the man was. Demons adored ugly and monstrous things, and Corazon had outdone himself with this Glamour. Corazon himself was wearing Chinos and a spotted linen shirt, an absurdly tall and lurpy man with rounded shoulders, stringy blond hair nearly covering a long, crooked nose, near lipless lips, acne scars and overly dark eyebrows over allergy swollen eyes. The three of them in public inspired either stares or Snap Chat mocking amongst human beings – only other Demons were in awe of their ugly features, admiring them for who they really were.

"We are so ugly it always takes my breath away," Doflamingo breathed, touching his mask to see if it were dry.

"I wonder if Caitlyn Jenner has a similar problem…"

"CORA! He's complimenting me on the Kardashian scale again! You know I hate when he brings up my self esteem, knowing he's only mocking me!"

"Law, we talked about you trying to change your human body into something only they accept," Corazon sighed as one of the shadow monsters took on a human butler, hurrying for the door. "No matter what effort you put into diet and exercise, it's not going to change your ugliness."

"I set a new record, today. 5k in twenty minutes. I need to brag about this on my social media," Law said eagerly, rising up from the chair. "Maybe it'll impress my female followers."

"You're ugly for a reason, just accept it!" Corazon called after him as Doflamingo shook his head.

"I don't like it, Cora," he muttered bitterly. "That boy is obsessed with wanting a human wife. It's unnatural. It must be one of God's jokes."

"I hate when you talk about God like it's a real thing," Corazon muttered.

"The concept is easier to place the blame on!"

The butler walked out from the foyer with a bag full of food, both Demons sniffing the air suspiciously. "This is for the young master," the butler said with a faint hint of a rasp.

"Disgusting!" Doflamingo hissed, resuming his form, their surroundings turning back into a medieval display of shadows and stone. "Human food! _Burn it_! There's nothing wrong with human flesh and baby's blood!"

Corazon changed as well, peering at the bag with a squint. "'Baratie's'. That's that little café Law and his friends enjoy. That must be where he'd met the Demon."

"Oh. So it's Demon food. Let me taste test first, just in case it had Angel's hands on it," Doflamingo said, snatching the bag from the shadowy minion that returned to the darkness at their feet. He opened the bag, retrieving a note. Opening it, he read, 'Bulk up! Women do not want string beans for a boyfriend!'

Doflamingo crushed the note with one hand and burnt the contents with a flare of pink fire. Corazon wore a surprised expression.

"This Demon taunts my son! He wants an ass kicking! Suggesting he's _too skinny_ – obviously, he's trying to fatten him up even further for consumption, thinking he's just a mere human! Cora! Immediately! Let's kill this pretender and blame it on the Crocodile God!"

Corazon clapped his hands. "That sounds like fun! But hopefully he doesn't know that it was us, or otherwise he might retaliate the way he did when he found your fitness progress pics that one time."

Doflamingo tossed aside the burning heap, the shadows consuming it. "Oh, how was that a crime? Those pictures influenced millions of teenage boys to develop eating disorders. It was truly an indication that his Demon side was stronger than his Angel side."

"Are we forgetting the Internet God then banned you from the internet? Every mention of your image or name permanently blocked, erased from exposure, forcing the human race to forget that you existed…"

Doflamingo hissed, fists clenched. "I _will_ be remembered!"

"Which is why no one knows your name lately. Pity. And you look so pretty with your pink flare."

"I am beautifully disgusting, and there is no one to admire me. I'm still angry about that. Well…what should we do, Cora? I'm out of ideas."

"My Glamour still renders him an ugly beast to humans, so it's truly possible that this Demon retains enough of his abilities to recognize Law only as an Angel," Corazon assured him, holding up Law's medical school ID. The face full of adult acne, crooked teeth, patchy facial hair, ill-fitting glasses magnifying too narrow eyes, too tight clothes on a too big body and greasy, shaggy hair tended to cause many human women to recoil from the side of him. So it made sense in that regard that Law's cute obsession rendered him a completely repulsive person. Corazon gave the picture an adoring expression. "So beautifully ugly! _Monstrous_! He makes me so proud!"

"Damn, that's an ugly picture," Doflamingo muttered in admiration. "Your Glamours were always the best – does he even know what you're doing to him?"

"Law's Glamours are rather clumsy due to his conflicting personas – he can't fully focus as a Demon or as an Angel, so I've done the work for him. He can't see it for himself – he can only rely on those around them for an opinion. I warned him, but also assured him that it's a passable face."

"Your Demonly deceptions are astounding, brother."

"Unfortunately for us, Angels _and_ Demons can see his true human form, so both sides thinks he's one of theirs!" Corazon said thoughtfully. He lovingly tucked the bad photo into the depths of his person. "This Demon is probably drawn to our Law's demonly beauty – to another Angel, he'd appear, I don't know, _however_ Angels appear to each other. Repulsively pretty creatures…"

"So you think his wings are clipped, eh? This generation of Demons are a puzzling sort," Doflamingo muttered, reaching up to scratch at his bony spine. "The younger they are, the more they seem accepting in ignoring their responsibilities for the fulfillment rewards of the human world. I don't understand how they can willingly allow their wings to be clipped in order to ignore their own kind. And Angels celebrate because the less Demons there are, the less need for their interfering ways. This was probably the work of one of them! Damn them to Hell."

 _Damn them home_? Corazon thought with a puzzled expression.

"Well, no matter. If this Demon has taken our ugly son under his useless wing, then maybe it's a good thing," Doflamingo decided. "Let him play, Corazon. If he's hurt in the end by this Demon's temptation, then the better it serves us. His Demon side will be strengthened, his Angel side diminished."

"Okay…but…if Law didn't recognize him as a Demon, it might be troublesome."

Doflamingo's brow furrowed slightly. "It would mean Law can't see him as an Angel, either…"

"Maybe it would be good to find out what he truly is." Corazon's beady eyes narrowed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ah thank you all for the reviews and reads! T_T I'm so glad that ya'll enjoy this story as much as I have fun writing it! My Old Souls meltdown has left me scrambling for something happy!**

 **Naghi-Tan:** I think it now makes sense why Law chose his group and his disguise – the more repulsive, the better! XD But it wrestles with his Angel side because he obviously wants affection – he shows his true nature with Cora and Doffy lol I haven't seen Devil May Cry – is that an anime I can check out? LOL Sanji is very confident and not XD But unlike Kid, he will get his man! Because Law is two, he's very confusing to other entities, which makes him dangerous; if neither Angel or Demon can sense him, then neither of them will know exactly what he is until the last second! Of course, he isn't too sure which side he stands, either… D:

 **Sarge1130:** Thanks for reading and Reviewing! I wrote out six chapters already bc of my Old Souls Ending Meltdown, but it won't contain any of those elements. :D I do want to point out the by now, it's apparent Demons love revoltingly ugly things and so they see this on Demon side Law – but he hasn't appeared in person before Angels, so it'll be interesting to know how they see him! For Sanji to see him as 'ugly' as he is just says he's a Demon in love with another Demon's looks. He doesn't understand why humans find him so ugly

 **12tailedninja-demon** : Thank you! :D

 **fyoyaran** : I chose 'cold' names to round up the group! Sanji has no shame in dismissing the others when it comes to Law, and they're starting to catch on. Thanks for reading!

 **Hallconen** : Every time you draw characters from my story I die of a heart attack each time! I ADORE your art and your seriously amazing designs! X_x Puts me into the ground! I'm a little selfish – if I can have your attention I'm going to cling! I love Doffy and Cora, they're my absolute favorites along with these two dorks, so I can't resist adding them almost every time! Doffy is my spirit animal! Sanji is shameless, and he's okay with it being open in this fic – see Zeff and the cooks' reaction later in this chapter – and he's going to get his man/Demon/Angel! Thank you for reading!

 **Penumbra** : T_T thank you! Yes, Law will eventually see that finding a wife is less exciting than having an adoring Demon with clipped wings giving him everything he's dreamed off – IF he can decided what side he truly leans to! Sanji has to do his best to convince him he's worthy!

 _ **Chapter Four**_

* * *

Sanji smoked a cigarette while sitting in the shadows. Staring out into the rainy streets below, he thought about his past. It was full of unpleasant memories, but he picked out the one that had him banished from that particular mall in the first place.

When he was a teenager, he'd started a fight with an Angel over a human girl. A beautiful teenage "princess" who had picked stranger's pockets just to allow herself fantastic shopping sprees – he remembered her name; Nami. She was in the company of Angels, a ragtag group of kids similar to his age. Only one of them was eager enough to start a physical battle with him, and Sanji only allowed himself the loss because the devastation of the mall had threatened the life of that woman.

He remembered seeing her in the rubble, unconscious and bloody, clinging to life. Angels fought until they won a battle, careless to see anything else. In order for her life to be saved, Sanji allowed himself to lose to the Angel so that she could receive medical attention. His father had been furious finding out that tidbit of information – his brothers hadn't been too impressed, either. Only his mother and sister had expressed how brave he'd been to go against their nature to save another living being; which started a new war in the household because Demons did not sympathize with Angels' ideals. His mother had been an Angel until she'd clipped her wings – Sanji had followed her example.

He'd had them sawed off in some back alley downtown, under a shady doctor's hand. _Dr Hiluluk_ , he remembered. The doctor sent him off with some illegal pain pills to recover, Sanji had gotten addicted to them, and wandered off down the path of various drugs and lost identity episodes until he hit the rehab center in his college town. It had been difficult to find a job with his past but Zeff had given him a chance that Sanji didn't want to lose. If he should return home, he'd certainly find himself regrowing his wings to reconnect with his Demon side. He was steady in his path, now, but the temptation to return to some of those habits still hit him from time to time.

He reached back to touch the stubs that remained of his wings – they were deformed mounts against his shoulder blades, hidden underneath his shirt. They were once oily black wings with bony claws at the joints, ridged with moldy scales. His Demon form had been classically monstrous; elongated limbs, barrel body with stone-like armor plates around his legs, a facial plate with blank Noh features to keep anyone guessing on what he was thinking or feeling. Without a closed mouth to communicate with other Angels or Demons on his presence, his stealth abilities had been praised by his family as one of a kind; now he was just an ugly human, but he was satisfied with that.

Sanji was then confused, furrowing his brow with concentration. If Angels and Demons were repulsed by each other, then did he fall for another Demon using a Glamour? But he sensed _nothing_ from the man that suggested he was either or. Sanji was convinced he had just fallen for a normal human with rather godly physical features!

"A gift finely crafted from God's own hands," he huffed, looking over at his laptop. Splashed across the screen were multiple screenshots from Law's social media, and he lovingly touched each one, hearts in his eyes. "Out of all the beautiful ladies in the world, only _your_ face sends me into a gushing frenzy of both lust and admiration! I could respect you while craving to make a mess of you! Can you sense my madness? Should I create a fake profile to lure you into my advances, or would that risk you hating me?"

Admiring a pic of Law posing with his beloved pet at some doggy daycare, Sanji huffed hotly, hand to his chest. He could care less about the snowball of a floofer panting at his master's side – he carefully cropped the picture so the dog was out of the picture, and then stroked the screen lovingly.

Law was just _too_ perfect. Unless Sanji was influenced by the same mysterious empathy he'd felt for that teenage human girl years ago, willing to be defeated just so she could be saved, it was unheard of for a Demon to have Angel qualities and vice versa. It was against their natural law.

It excited Sanji to then think that Law was a Demon – it filled him with such gushing warmth that he thought he'd either pierced his human heart to have it overfull with arousal or peed himself somehow. If Law were a Demon, then it'd make plenty of sense that Sanji was that attracted – a Demon that lived with an Angel's aura only promised him that this beautifully hellish creature was something of a complete psychopath destined for great destruction of the human world or –

NO. He shouldn't be excited about that sort of thing. After living amongst humans for as long as he had, he couldn't find himself completing that thought.

But he couldn't deny how excited he was over the possibilities. He shuddered, thinking of how delectable the Angel/Demon was at the mall; sweaty and flushed. He could just imagine how he looked in bed with the same appearance. He wiggled with excitement, shaking hands moving over his lower stomach to fold at his thighs, ashes falling unnoticed over his jeans. He pulled the nightshirt he wore to reveal a glossy picture of one of Law's profile pictures – one where he was holding a peace sign with his fingers in front of some comic-con event.

"My darling beauty! If you only knew just how fucking hot you make me!" he growled at the upside visage. He flapped the shirt hem to generate some cool air against his skin. "I feel like a teenage virgin all over again! Clumsy and weak with excitement and terror in discovering just how powerful the carnal desires of the flesh can be!"

Should Sanji confess his feelings?

He considered this with thoughtful action, resting an elbow atop of a knee. Law was straight – he was so eager to know the presence of a woman that he wasn't even considering Sanji's needs, never hearing his mad mumbles.

Sanji wondered if this was the work of a Demon – driving him to wild desires knowingly and laughing about it with his surely Demon friends. It would be more acceptable to think that way. Angels were, after all, _disgustingly_ pitiable creatures that loved cute things and were obsessed with avocado toast -

Sanji hit his fist upon his palm. _Right_. It was clear what he had to do. He needed to see what exactly Law was.

The next day during break, he gathered courage to text the tempting morsel.

 _Show me a dick pic – I just want to see if you got something the ladies would approve_ _of_ , he thought, his tongue held between his teeth with a hungry look. He then caught himself and erased that line hastily. _Screenshot me your Tinder profile, big boy. Let me see what you're doing wrong_.

He erased 'big boy' and sent it. Gnawing at his short nails, Sanji then watched his phone for a reply. He jiggled his knee nervously, watching as "Delivered" changed to "Read". The three flashing dots that appeared moments later caused him to hold his breath. He couldn't wait to see what delectable picture would pop up on his phone. His skin flushed noticeably, and he waved a hand at his face.

" _Of all the beauty on this planet, this one man will send me to my grave_!" he cried noisily, hopping up and down. "Be still, my heart, until my dick manages to catch up!"

"ZEFF!" Patty screamed, causing him to startle. "Sanji's watching porn at work!"

" _SANJI_!" Zeff cried out in horror from the front.

"It's straight porn!" Sanji yelled back.

Once Law's message arrived, he bit his lip and pulled up the screenshot, ignoring the accompanying question. It was obviously from Law's school ID – plain, blurry, taken moments before it looked like he was close to sneezing. Still – his Angel/Demon looked scrumptiously virginal and innocent, pure in his godly status. He did NOT understand why women wouldn't think "easy prey!" upon seeing this.

Sanji slurped up the extra saliva slithering over his bottom lip, using his other hand to wipe the excess moments later. After a moment he said to Patty, "Dress me up as a woman and take a picture of me! _Hurry_! My life is on the line!"

Patty looked back at him as if he'd just grown two heads. "Are you _high_?"

Seeing that Patty wasn't going to cooperate with him, Sanji texted back, ' _Change it! Take a pic of yourself at the beach, shirtless_!'

' _Shachi said that's a terrible idea_ ,' came the reply moments later. ' _People came to the beach to enjoy the waves, not save the whales_.'

Sanji wasn't sure what that meant.

' _Tell him to get his teeth fixed and butt out of the conversation_ ,' he texted back rapidly.

' _I'm in class, so…I'm sorry, I'll reply later_. _Should I have the others send you theirs_?'

' _No, I'm running out of data_.'

Sanji saved the screenshot then strode towards Zeff, who was wiping down the counters in front. Holding the phone up to his eyes just inches away, he demanded, "How can this nerd improve this picture?"

All Zeff saw was one of their customers as he saw him – the overweight one with the patchy facial hair and adult acne – and winced. "I'd suggest a paperbag."

Sanji stared at him in shock. He looked at the photo again and asked, "Has glaucoma set in early, Gandelf?"

Zeff kicked him right off his feet, Sanji catching his phone before it could hit the hard floor. "What I have told you about calling me that name? I'm a sensitive old man, I can't take teasing."

"I'm trying to help this fool find a woman," Sanji said, back on his feet in moments. "I don't understand why none of my suggestions are working."

"Boy, have you considered cleaning the oceans of human trash? Because you would be more successful doing that than thinking you could find this poor piece of mother's basement living garbage a girlfriend. And I'm being nice."

"I think you're blind," Sanji said, shaking his head in disbelief. He added that photo to his collection of Law pics.

"And I think you're dumb, but we're both allowed our opinions. Why are you doing this, anyway?" Zeff then asked him suspiciously. "Going out of your way to assist some poor, unfortunate soul? Are you an Angel?"

Sanji snorted. "Never been accused of that, before. Besides, Angels are creatures of mass destruction and violence, and have you seen me be either?"

"Then he's paying you some weird riches, or supplying you. Which is it, boy? Tell me now."

"It's none of that! I just thought this would be an excellent distraction from the soul sucking whirlpool I've been drawn into just from working here. It's helped me get out and notice the world all over again! Besides, you have to admit, the color of his eyes should be enough to get a woman's notice," Sanji added, looking through his collection feverishly.

"Suck that drool back in, you'll dehydrate yourself," Zeff responded with a revolted expression. He had to admit that with the way Sanji was looking at his phone that they couldn't possibly be talking about the same person. He was bewildered. "You swing that way, kid?"

"Get out of the stone age."

Zeff hit him across the head, annoyed by his short answer. "This is just suspicious to me. No wonder you've been overly attentive to those ugly nerds."

Hand to his chest in mock dismay, Sanji exclaimed, "Who would've known that you're an asshole? To find this out now, after knowing each other for so long?"

"If I find that either one of you is doing something you should be arrested for – "

"You'll have us stoned in a public display of might?"

" _Is it_?"

"NO! I'm simply doing a service onto another while keeping my hands and mouth busy and from falling into certain temptation," Sanji snapped, putting his phone away. Zeff looked horrified.

"Wow, that sounds gay," Carne muttered from the nearby register. "That's level ten gay. Zeff! Why don't you accept your former meth monster son's true orientation?"

"This is none of your damn business!" Zeff hollered at him.

"Don't worry, kid," Carne said to Sanji, who glared at him, "it's okay to be yourself. If Zeff doesn't want ya around, I know a few places that'll take ya in."

"If I were gay, all three of you old rotten bastards wouldn't be walking right now. Because I would have conquered and destroyed your assholes with my mighty - !"

Zeff kicked Sanji soundly while Carne laughed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep talkin' out your ass, kiddo. Your Vienna sausage dick would never make it out of my hole alive."

"Both of you stop talking so uncouthly! Are you both daft? Have some decency in your words!" Zeff shouted. "If we had customers - !"

"Isn't it okay? It's empty today," Carne complained.

"First off, it's not a problem if I wanted to help these guys do something only I can succeed at," Sanji said, leaning against the counter. "Second, I do plan on marrying this man anyway. You heard it from the horse's mouth."

Carne looked at him, shocked. He had seen these customers for himself the other day when he waltzed out from the kitchen to check out the women, so he was pretty sure he knew who Sanji was talking about. He looked to Zeff to see if his suspicions were correct, seeing the old man rub his chest with trepidation.

"Are you serious?" he questioned Sanji. "We're talking about the big one, the one wearing glasses?"

"Yes," Sanji confirmed, briefly brightening up. "They suit him so well!"

Carne lost words for a moment, then said, "The tall one. Mega Mountain."

"Yeah, he's pretty tall. Just tall enough to make me feel like a blushing maiden," Sanji confessed, flushing with pleasure. Zeff and Carne stared at him with twin expressions of horror. "Don't make me talk about what his voice does to me. I can't think when he's around."

"Zeff," Carne whispered, "drug test him. _Please_."

"Son," Zeff said slowly, twisting his moustache anxiously. "I hate to ask this of you, I know how hard you're trying, but…are you sure you want to go this route?"

"What do you mean?" Sanji demanded, looking at him.

"It's just…well…"

"I hate to admit it, but you're a good looking guy," Carne said, "and he's…not."

" _What are you talking about_?" Sanji cried, arms waving about. He drew out his phone, found the Tinder screenshot and showed it to Carne. Carne recoiled out of pure disgust, unable to get how this passable young male could possibly see this unattractive blob of acne and greasy hair as anything close to charming. "This is a gift created from the gods themselves!"

"I don't care if you're gay, but I do care about the guys you choose! Get that out of my face, I'm going to have nightmares! _Zeff_!"

"Sanji," Zeff tried again, blinking rapidly, "just answer me this. Nothing is being exchanged…right? No money, no drugs, nothing…illegal? That could possibly threaten his budding career and your sobriety?"

" _No_ ," Sanji answered incredulously, looking at the picture again. "I don't understand how you can't see what I am…"

"Love truly is blind, eh?" Carne whispered incredulously, eyes wide.

"But I gotta admit, I'm not doing this to be nice," Sanji said, putting his phone back into his pocket. "I'm doing this so that I can sabotage each and all of his efforts in finding a beautiful lady so he can eventually see that only I can be the answer to his loneliness."

Carne slapped his own cheeks with his hands. "You don't even have to put any effort into that, because he's doing fine on his own!"

Zeff sighed noisily, leaning against the counter with weary shoulders. After some moments, he asked heavily, "You want this man's favor? I suppose I'll have to be supportive. Carne, you too."

"WHAT? I demand a drug test!"

"Really?" Sanji asked, looking at Zeff hopefully. "You'll help me out?"

Zeff looked like he was struggling to hold back bile. But he swallowed hard and nodded grievously. "Yes. _But_! I won't be forcing anything. I'm pretty sure you're going to have your heart broken."

"I doubt it! That's never happened to me! Oh, man, thanks for supporting me!"

"Zeff…!" Carne hissed, looking shocked. "Zeff, we can't do this! I'm all for carrying on a joke, but this is - !"

"No, we need to do this, Carne. If you choose not to, then either hold your tongue or walk away. This is life, I suppose. We can't all choose what we want…and he's made his choice. Left to his own devices, he'll fuck it up and it'll reflect badly onto us."

" _Zzzeeffff_!"

"Thanks, old man!" Sanji said cheerfully, slapping him on the shoulder. "You're the absolute best! Better than my own real sperm donor!"

Zeff looked ill. At the sound of the door chime ringing out, he glanced up. Seeing two ghoulishly tall men duck to walk through the doors, he then repressed the urge to show any emotion; this didn't stop Carne, though, his face displaying his horror at how ugly these two were. One was outrageously thin and bony, long limbs sluggishly moving about, dressed in flashy pink print. It should've been a crime for his silk shirt to be open towards his naval, shoving off a bony chest that was oddly strapped with muscle. His cheekbones protruded outward, his lips thick with certain chemicals and patted lightly with some type of lipgloss. His hair was sharply curled around his concave face, and earrings dangled from his ear lobes. He wore unfashionable 80's style sunglasses, with neon pink frames. The other man's limp blond hair hung over acne scarred skin, jaw jutting with an underbite that chewed at lips so thin they were practically hints of pigment. His eyes were so swollen and sticky with some type of allergy that Zeff hoped it wasn't contagious.

Both men seemed to recoil at the sight of the café's gentle ambiance. Hands went to mouths with certain suggestions of disgust while grumbles left them both. Zeff was truly at a loss of words – men that frighteningly _ugly_ had no right to express themselves in such a way.

"May I help you?" he asked with a struggling strength, Sanji looking up at the sound of his voice. Once he saw the men, he reacted with a typical lack of restraint.

"The circus is down the street, assholes! I thought I read on the news that they were missing two of their best uglies!" he exclaimed, pointing out the doors. "How dare you come here and expect to be served?"

Zeff managed to kick him back into the kitchen, Carne cautiously easing after him. Red faced with humiliation, Zeff apologized to the pair. But he stuttered because both of them looked so damned pleased that it was unmistakable.

"I'd like a latte without cream or sugar, swirled with a sprinkling of salt, and add in your best bacon grease," the tallest one requested, using a voice so high pitched and lispy that it took Zeff a few moments to actually process his request.

"You looking to kill yourself, kid?" he asked gruffly. "That sounds _disgusting_ …"

"Perfect! The worst you think of it, then you're doing it right," the man answered, walking with such a bow-legged gait towards a table that Zeff feared he was on the verge of some collapse.

"Same, but without bacon, please," the other requested in such a lady-like tone that Zeff stared for a few extra moments, certain it was a very mannish woman addressing him. He followed after the other, shoulders so rounded and droopy that the fatty deposit at the back of his neck seemed to wobble with each step.

 _Weird day_ , he thought dazedly, making the requested drinks without anymore fuss.

The customers drew in attention from others that wandered in moments later. Zeff couldn't even feel bad for them. They seemed so confident and proud of themselves in drawing in such negative attention that it seemed deliberate.

"He's definitely a Demon," Doflamingo muttered into his greasy coffee, looking at Sanji serving the women seated at the counter. "But he's not strong enough to cause any worry."

"Maybe he's in admiration of our Law," Corazon said, wiping his lips delicately with his napkin. "Demons do tend to admire each other if they sense high power levels."

"Our shoulder devil has the potential to be so much stronger than he is! But he allows his damned Angel side to make his decisions! When is he out of school? I demand that he stop going to Save people!"

"I'm sure he's not attending medschool to Save people," Corazon said skeptically. "He's doing it to know exactly how humans work so that he may better tear them apart while on a hellish rampage."

Doflamingo nodded grimly to agree. His nose wrinkled with revulsion. "The ambiance of this place makes me want to vomit out of sheer pleasure, and that upsets my stomach."

"I agree. It's obviously catered to the barbaric Angels." Corazon gave the quaint settings a curled lip of distaste. "This is straight up discrimination. Humans need to be more accommodating to Demons. That one obviously isn't strong enough to retain his powers if he finds it pleasurable to work here."

"Indeed. Law is in safe hands."

The week ended without any true progress – Sanji simply forgot what his true mission was every time he caught sight of "Mega Mountain". He couldn't help it. In his efforts to keep up with the man, Sanji found himself running just as they were, accidentally getting into shape while stalking him. Zeff wondered why he came into work tired and sore, but because the obsession bothered him, he didn't dare ask. He just hoped Sanji didn't break any laws.

Late one night, Sanji trudged down to Walmart to print out some photos. This place put him at such ease, finding the unpleasant atmosphere to be so dangerously aphrodisiacal. There was something about the employees' rude behavior, lack of convenience in register lines, upsetting waffle smells, and irate customers that really put him in a good mood. Crying children at the nearby toy aisle put a cheerful smile on his face while a couple screaming at each other in the frozen foods department put a pop in his step. He was humming while stationed at the photo kiosk, leaning over the screen so none of the other patrons wouldn't catch sight of his pictures when he heard his future husband's name being uttered.

"Thank you, Mr Trafalgar, for your patronage," the woman said cheerily, dropping various electronics into a somewhat full cart. Sanji's neck nearly snapped as he looked, wondering with horror why that name left a woman's mouth.

He recognized her right away – it was Nami, accompanied with two younger guys that were dumping various snacks into the cart along with her purchases. Sanji recognized them as part of the Angel group that had forced his decision and felt himself sweat. The photos weren't done printing, and he wouldn't dare leave them behind just to make a hasty escape. They were too precious – in one of them, he'd managed to catch Law shirtless as he exchanged his sweater for a t-shirt. He needed that one, tonight, determined to fap like he hadn't fapped before.

At the same time he looked over again, sweating nervously. He saw that she held Law's wallet, looking for a credit card. The thieving woman was up to her old tricks, and it was a matter of hard decision for Sanji to consider. On one hand, he could expose himself to take Law's wallet back and present it back to the man and get praise in return; on another, he could get his ass kicked from here to Tuesday all over again once the Angels caught his Demonic scent.

Covering his head with both arms as he leaned over the kiosk, sweat dribbled down his cheeks. Picture after picture continued printing as he gnawed at his lower lip. Every one of the completed photos showed him face after face of his gentle god, and somehow, every one of them spoke to him.

"You'll be rewarded with my riches beyond your belief if you should do this for me," one of them said to Sanji in his melodic voice, causing his guts to twist. "Only you can do this for me."

"Thank you, Sanji!" another said.

"You're my white knight in disguise," another purred.

"Help me, Sanji. You're my only hope!"

" _Damn it_!" Sanji hissed, arms shaking as he turned away from the kiosk to see Nami and her crew wandering down another aisle. Trembling, he tucked his hands into his pockets and wandered after them. His forehead was beaded with sweat but his heart was racing so soundly that it was difficult to hear what the woman was saying to her friends.

Her beauty had tripled since he'd last seen her – normally, he'd drape himself over her cart in an effort to get her attention, but it was only Law's face and presence that held him back, fearful he was cheating. As they turned down one aisle, he went the opposite way.

Since they were the only customers in the area, there were no chances of interruption as Sanji faced them head on, causing Nami to stop her cart upon seeing him, the two boys at her sides looking up with curious expressions. One was sucking noisily at a juicebox while another was rummaging through her purse for a list.

"Huh?" Nami ventured, looking at the Demon that only looked vaguely familiar. He had a mop of dull blond hair hanging over one side of his face, curled eyebrow dipping low in a concentrative scowl. There was an unlit cigarette dangling from the side of a tight mouth. He was wearing dark jeans, a v-neck shirt that looked wet underneath his arms and what looked like brand new running shoes on his feet. Truth to tell, Nami would have run him over with her cart just to escape that desperate expression, but Luffy grasped the handle with his warning grunt.

Tense silence fell over the entire aisle.

"It's been awhile…Miss Nami," Sanji said slowly, voice dripping with tension as his hands curled into fists in his pockets. "I'm happy to see you looking alive and well."

Nami was confused, eyes darting from side to side with uncertainty. "Oh…um…have we met?"

"I apologize for the inconvenience…Miss Nami," Sanji said, taking a few steps forward. "But I'm here for one thing only."

Nami gasped, starting to feel alarmed at the presence of overwhelming fear curling around her. Having hung out with Angels long enough to detect a Demon's strong influence, she felt her very skeleton tremble with agitation. Images of a terrible death started to render her into a panic as the pair at her sides stared pensively at the nearing Demon.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.

"It's of no importance," Sanji told him, feeling apprehension warm his bones at the sight of the Angel that had forced his ending. He could feel the Angel's strength and presence, and it made him sick. He coughed. He knew he couldn't win – without his wings, he had no power to even stand his ground in front of the heavenly beast if he chose to change forms. But the love he had for Law overrode his instincts.

He wanted his praise, his thanks, his _everything_! He could just imagine Law thanking him prettily, his low voice tickling Sanji's very soul as he appreciated the Demon's gesture.

"I've come here for the thing only you can give me," he said tightly, stopping just inches from her cart. Nami looked at him with such fear and panic that it titillated his Demonly instincts. He'd forgotten how powerful that feeling could be – this was why some Demons raged out of control once they caught the scent of a human's fear. It drove them into madness trying to attain more of it. But he _had_ to control it, to keep the Angels from growing excited and into attacking him. His body trembled with the effort.

"My soul?" Nami gasped out, ready to run.

Sanji looked at the others – of course they weren't so ready to react with similar panic, but they stared back up at him with frowns, Angel instincts calm until they were overwhelmed with the instinct to Save. Then he looked to Nami, gritting his teeth over the filter of his cigarette. Sweat oozed down his temples, dribbled over his chin.

"Hey, what's this?" Luffy asked, frowning at Sanji. "What are you looking for?"

Sanji's eyes darted from one to the other. He heard the photo kiosk give a cheery _ding_! to signal that it was finished printing. Desperation surged through him. In seconds he dropped to his knees in a deep _dogeza_.

"Please, Miss Nami, give me that wallet," he begged onto the floor.

Nami wasn't sure how to react. Her heart was still thumping with fear while Luffy and Ussop looked extremely confused. Luffy looked at her, then at Sanji.

" _Please_!"

Nami gulped, coming to her senses little by little. She sensed so much Demon energy, but neither Angel at her side was reacting. Normally, they'd have half of the store demolished in their efforts to destroy an attacking Demon. Wiping sweaty strands of hair from her face, Nami then registered what the Demon was saying.

"My…wallet?" she repeated, confused.

"Yes! The wallet you have in your possession…it belongs to someone else. I ask that you give it to me."

Nami was frozen dumb. Her thieving instincts laughed because she'd been caught, ready to give it up because there was always another wallet or purse to steal for another day. But her human instincts continued to shriek in fear. She looked at the wallet she'd pulled from the pants of a rather unattractive mountain of a man from earlier that day, when she was pursuing the nearby med-school campus for potential suitors. She didn't remember seeing this blond guy anywhere, so how did he catch her?

"I'm sure you're mistaken," she said cautiously, trembling hands alighting back onto the cart.

"You were thanking Mr Trafalgar profusely for his purchases," Sanji said to the floor, sweat dripping onto the dirty concrete. "I know a Trafalgar, and it's because of him that I am begging you – please return the wallet to me so that I may return it to him and receive his praise."

Nami was ultra-baffled because the way the Demon's voice dripped with desperation made it sound like this was a life or death matter. But as a woman, she also detected heavy hints of a desperate man wanting to please the object of his affection. She exchanged looks with Ussop, Luffy still watching Sanji with a puzzled frown. She then pulled the wallet out from her name brand purse, opening it to reveal the driver's license of a pudgy, repulsive man that she was sure had to pay for female attention. Just the sight of it made her recoil.

"Trafalgar Water D Law," she read aloud. "You know this man?"

" _Yes_!"

She was startled at the Demon's desperate cry. She'd never seen such behavior from a Demon, before.

"Please! Give it to me!"

"How do I know you're not trying to steal from _me_?" Nami then questioned cautiously, unsure of how far she could push this refusal.

"I know him because he is my…friend. And I would do anything for my friend."

Nami once again looked at the picture. Then at the carefully laminated photo of a pretty Pomeranian that looked absurdly spoiled. "Oh, you're his friend, huh? Then what's his dog's birthdate and from where did he buy him?"

"Bepo's birthday is August 6, and he was a shelter animal, a result of a puppy mill that had been busted in a rural county next door. His favorite toy is the squeaky fox toy that Law has had to sew together approximately twenty-six times, and his favorite snacks are sakura flavored mochi!"

"Er…" Nami wouldn't know the answer to that anyway. She reluctantly closed the wallet up and tossed it to him.

"Huh? Nami?" Ussop questioned.

Sanji retrieved the wallet without moving too much. "Thank you, Miss Nami! You're a goddess! A true saint!"

Nami frowned at him, heart rate returning to normal. She looked to Luffy. "Aren't you going to interfere?"

"I'm confused," Luffy confessed. "I know he's a Demon but he's not attacking, or even wanting to attack. So I don't want to do anything."

" _How can that be_?" Nami looked to Sanji, startled at the sight of him opening up the wallet. She saw the way his eyes and face lit up, facial expression changing from a desperate man to obviously a man in love. Her mind was blown. " _What the hell_?"

"T-thank you, Nami-goddess," Sanji panted, overwhelmed at the sight of his Law's beautiful visage on his Driver's License. All he saw was the beautifully crafted bone structure of his face, the light frown of his luscious lips, the overwhelming gold gaze that caused flip-flops of joy in his chest. He practically slobbered over himself touching something that had all the luck of being next to Law's ass or ball warmth in his khaki pockets. He somehow restrained himself from smelling the worn leather, panting tightly as he handled the item with extreme care. On wobbly legs, he managed to get up.

"EW!" Nami exclaimed, arm over her face in horror. "Over that ugly guy?"

" _He's beauty unmatched_!" Sanji snapped at her, holding the wallet against his right cheek. He could smell the man on it – that heavenly combination of sweat and skin that made his throat tight. His nostrils flared and he couldn't contain happy wiggles as he spoke. "His gorgeousness transcends the level of all heavenly creatures! He is more magnificent than anything on this earth – more heavenly than even God himself, I assume. You couldn't compare to even one of his delicate eyebrows! You dare disgrace his image with your jealousy?"

Shocked, Nami gasped in outrage. Her beauty was above human average, and even Angels had dropped out of the sky to look at her. She was positive she was looking and addressing a Demon, who professed love for anything humanly vile. She leaned onto her cart with one elbow, propping her chin up.

"Yep, definitely a Demon," she muttered. "They love anything _we_ normally would find unattractive and gross."

"Then why don't I feel like beating him up?" Luffy asked, still puzzled.

"Hey, Demon, you get your wings clipped?" Nami asked, nose wrinkling with disgust as Sanji opened up the wallet to once again stare with lovesick action at the driver's license inside. Once he realized he was being addressed, he looked up sharply.

"I did," he stated coolly, sliding the wallet into his pocket. After a cautious look at them, he then hurried off to retrieve his printed photos from the kiosk.

Nami abandoned the cart, the other two following after her. "C'mon. This was a really weird moment. He remembers us, so we must have had an encounter with him at one time. Unfortunately, we get into so many fights, it's hard to remember all of them."

"I feel so let down," Luffy said with a sigh. "My blood starting pumping, but I got confused that fast. Why does it feel funny to know that a Demon doesn't want to fight?"

"He has his wings clipped – which means he's not _technically_ a Demon, anymore. But just enough to sense you guys – he was very hesitant on starting anything, but because he was in love with this ugly man, he was willing to risk it." Nami tapped her lips thoughtfully. From her back pocket, she retrieved the school ID she'd taken from the wallet for a "just in case". Examining it thoughtfully, she said, "I'm going to look this guy up. If he's a Demon as well, we might get lucky and find a new den of them. Then you'll get your chance to fight, Luffy!"

Luffy looked over to see what the big fuss was about, and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He laughed. "Wow, he's so _ugly_! No wonder that Demon likes him!"

"I know, right?" Amused, Nami slid the card back into her pocket. "It's almost so cute how Demons love such ugly things, but get sick at the sight of things that anybody would consider pretty. But that Demon was really weird…I don't get him. Even if he didn't have his wings, he still would've run away or messed with you guys a little. For you guys to even feel anything at all – it was like he was controlling his power level."

"I kinda felt that, too," Ussop said with concern. "If a Demon has his wings clipped, he shouldn't be able to do that. But he made himself less threatening as to not excite us into attacking him. Controlling his Demonly urges is a top level quality Demon."

"You think so, Ussop?" Luffy questioned. He hit his fist into his palm, looking hungry. "Then I'm interested!"


	5. Chapter 5

**HeileWelt:** :D Thanks!

 **Naghi-Tan:** His love is blind lol They both have to watch their backs D:

 **Harmonica Smile:** Yep, in the midst of my OS breakdown. I wish I could channel this energy into actually finishing my other stories! D: Glad you're enjoying this zany story – it's fun writing it!

 **Happy Balon:** Here it is!

 _ **Chapter Five**_

* * *

Law was surprised to see Sanji's text early the next morning, declaring that he had found his wallet. He wiggled out from his bed and Bepo's crowding snuggles to find his human clothes, finding that his wallet was missing from the jacket he'd worn yesterday. He was confused as to how he'd lost in the first place, the dog yawning noisily behind him. He reached up to scratch his head, wondering if it had fallen out from Penguin's fanny pack during their run.

His room was the only place in the mansion Corazon and Doflamingo refused to enter. While fitted with certain amenities such as a sprawling oak desk, several different bookshelves that contained books and collectable figurines, his blankets were a collection of cheery yellows that happened to match the floor touching curtains. He had pictures of Bepo in various stages of life and poses lovingly framed in dog-themed frames. The tv and the stand it sat upon had cute small animal figurines on them.

Things he thought were endearing were added to various wall shelves and nets, stuffed animals looking down at him from their safe perches with seemingly empathic eyes. Doflamingo often complained that this was why Law's Angel side was allowed to thrive so healthily; it was truly the only place where Law openly allowed that part of him to flourish.

His coin collection, one of his most prized possessions, were given a rub for luck, a ritual he did every morning. It was a habit he held onto the most.

' _You didn't even give it to me_ ,' Penguin replied to his question minutes later. ' _I figured you were fine with it in your pocket_.'

' _Sanji found it_ ,' Law reported, still puzzled as he scratched his bare chest. Bepo yawned again and hopped down from the bed.

' _Weird. Hurry up! We're going to launch our squad in one hour_.'

Not wanting to miss their regularly scheduled Fortnite time, Law took Bepo out quickly then took a shower, dressed, grabbed Bepo's snacks and leashed the dog. He lovingly fitted him into one of his cutest sweaters, an orange plaid mixture that made Bepo equally as happy to wear it. His snowy white fur had been groomed carefully so that he resembled more of a bear than he did as a dog, a fact that never failed to delight Law. Law took a picture of his precious pet as Bepo posed adorably, knowing which angles pleased his master the most. Law added that photo to Bepo's Instagram account, adding plenty of emojis to show off his own delight.

"I'm going out!" he then called into the depths of the mansion's shadows, creatures crying or calling out in response to his human words. Bepo barked at them, the squeaky noise only inviting demonic snarls.

"But don't you have a Fortnite date?" Corazon cried from somewhere to his left.

"I'll be right back, stop nagging!" Law snapped at him before leaving the mansion. The day was beautiful and cheery, and he paused to admire the bright sky and dewy smells. As a Demon, he would've been revolted and slunk back into the mansion for a breather – but as an Angel, he appreciated the beauty and tranquility of it. He checked the address Sanji had sent him to meet him, and patiently waited for Bepo to finish his business. He couldn't resist squatting next to the happy floofer, petting him fondly.

Fifteen minutes later, he found Sanji leaning against a brick wall, looking ferociously cranky. The shadows in his face and under his eyes suggested either a very late night or very early morning – he smoked so grandly that he kept a hand subtly to his mouth, as if he were struggling not to throw up. Law furrowed his brow with suspicion – it was so similar to the way the brothers react to the morning air that it was hard not to suspect Sanji was a Demon.

"'Attitude' my ass," he muttered darkly, narrowing his eyes. "You're a Demon in disguise! But why can't I sense it?"

Bepo growled in response, looking from him to Sanji with his own pair of narrowed eyes. The fluffy white snowball strutted proudly with his orange sweater and perfectly groomed fur – people would stop and greet him but awkwardly ignore or address Law in a way that it seemed they didn't see him.

Law then cleared his throat and retrieved his Angel aura in order to suppress his Demon side. For years he'd perfected his awkward image and bumbling behavior in order to fit in with his friends, so his Demon side was undetectable. That side only emerged in the comfort of his home in front of the two idiots that doted on him. The only negative side about it was the rejection from society and the lack of female interaction that he so desperately craved.

He approached Sanji cautiously, adjusting his glasses as they fogged up. So he didn't see the way Sanji lit up at the sight of him, tripping over his own feet as he made to hurry over. He did hear the awkward crash of a falling body into some trashcans that rattled noisily, Bepo barking insistently as metal rattled and people cried out with surprise. Law felt somewhat scared of the Demonic aura that reached out and gripped him as Sanji reacted furiously to his own clumsiness. Instead of making his Angel side react with predicted rage, it seemed to cow it – Law didn't understand _why_ that happened.

"You knew you were coming out here," Sanji stated in a tight snarl, causing Law to feel apprehensive, his limbs locking up with a now familiar freeze, "and you decided to dress like _that_? Mornings are prime time to catch the eye of female runners, shoppers and groups of them walking to goddamn brunch for some mimosas and salad!"

"I – I'm sorry," Law apologized, hating how the words flowed with such trouble. "I was so confused as to how you wound up with my wallet, I wasn't thinking."

"What is _this_?" he heard Sanji say, his tone dropping several degrees. Law removed his glasses to hastily clean them, seeing the dirty look Sanji was giving Bepo. Bepo stared up at the blond with his pink tongue between his lips, standing stock still – like a rabbit caught in a hawk's sharp gaze.

"T-this is Bepo," Law said, unable to clear the tremor in his voice. But he looked to his dog with pride. "He's my baby."

Sanji looked at him sharply. He was wearing his work shirt underneath a black blazer with black dress shoes, a fedora hiding most of his blond mop and round sunglasses dangling below his ears. For a Demon, he sure dressed in a way that was more suited for human admiration rather than finding the most hideous thing in the back of some thrift store. He really confused Law.

"Don't ever speak like again," Sanji warned him low, teeth showing around his cigarette. "Don't _ever_ allow your voice to do that baby thing again!"

"I didn't know I was doing it."

"Women are not attracted to a man that speaks to their animals, or men, in a _goddamn baby voice_! Is that understood?"

Law stared down at Sanji, a little shocked how this newly addressed bad habit could cause such a terrible flush of rage on those features of his. Sanji was truly offended by it. He was slightly puzzled why Sanji added "or men" to the reprimand – it seemed so random. Law would never talk to another man like that.

"Understood," he said slowly, unable to stop himself from reaching up and gripping his sweater vest apprehensively. He thought he'd looked quite dashing, today – jeans with a loose button shirt underneath the vest, a light jacket over that – but Sanji looked upon his form like it offended him. His cheeks reddened even further, and Law wondered how this Demon could hold himself back from destroying him.

Huffing, Sanji removed the cigarette from his mouth and flicked it onto the sidewalk. He pulled out Law's wallet from his back pocket and held it out for Law to take. Law was shocked that it _was_ his – he took it, opening it to see what was missing. His cash and medschool ID was gone, and while that was fine, the fact that someone had taken the time to steal it was absolutely wretched. It almost caused his Demon side to awaken.

"Oh, thank you," he said gratefully, looking at Sanji again. "I don't know how it happened, but I'm grateful it found its way into your hands. Thank you so much for returning this to me!"

"It was a little troublesome," Sanji muttered, looking away to kick at some trash caught in the gutter. "But it was good I came across it."

Bepo finally moved, seemingly dazed as he sucked his tongue back into his mouth and studied Sanji with a tilted head. Sanji noticed something on Law's jacket, curled eyebrow moving into a concentrative slant. He reached out.

"Is this a _Fortnite_ symbol?" he asked with a tone that suggested horror, and Law belatedly remembered that Sanji was very much against video games. He started to sweat nervously.

Bepo attacked – he was a blur of white fur and snarling teeth, and he furiously barked while lunging against his leash. Before he knew it, the Pomeranian had latched onto Sanji's leg and was gnawing upon it like a competitive eater eliminating traces of meat from a rib bone. Sanji shrieked, Law cried out with horror and Bepo somehow leapt up higher onto the Demon's hip and latched his tiny teeth into Sanji's neck.

The Demon pulled back and stumbled backwards with a flail of arms and Law pulled the ferocious creature back into his arms, gasping with horror. He truly thought Sanji would shift shape and turn into his true form but he hit the trash cans from earlier and sent trash flying, causing such a ruckus that people stopped what they were doing to look.

Fearful for the life of his dog, Law couldn't help but cry out fearfully, holding Bepo tightly within both arms. He stumbled over to see if he could help Sanji but the blond was already on his feet – red-faced and moments from slaughtering them both. In that moment, Law felt a suspiciously hot bolt of _something_ race through him – excitement, admiration, eagerness – he couldn't rightly place it. But he froze, trying to sort that out while watching Sanji fearfully as he set furious eyes on the dog, slapping a dirtied hand onto the bite on his neck.

"I'm so _so so sorry_!" Law gasped, holding onto Bepo tightly, the dog protesting with a squeak. "I don't know what got into him! _I'm so sorry_ – please, let me take you to the hospital!"

Sanji huffed, trying to regain his senses. He stared murderously at the dog that growled low in Law's arms. Law thought he'd muttered, "From now on, we're mortal enemies!" but he was sure it was something else.

"I'm…fine…" Sanji panted, checking his hand for blood. The wound was a welling bruise of irritated skin and blister, Law covering Bepo's muzzle so he couldn't show his teeth again. "It's fine! I'm fine…I just…I have…animals just don't like me, I should've…taken more caution. Sorry. It's nothing."

Amazed that he was forgiven, Law didn't know what to say. Every one of Sanji's actions suggested otherwise of an easy forgiveness, but he was grateful that no trouble would come to his baby.

"Please, let me…let me check your leg," he then said hastily. "If I could, I could treat it with some stuff from the store over there. Please. Sanji."

Something like a switch went off in Sanji – Law didn't know what it was. But the Demon sat down with all the eagerness of Bepo knowing he was going to get a treat. He flopped down onto a nearby bench, and Law tied Bepo to a tree, the dog whining as his master left him behind. Sanji held out his hurt leg – it was so long and mysteriously flexible to go that angle – and Law carefully set himself in front of him. He huffed on his hands to warm them before ever so gently lifting the hem of Sanji's pants leg up and finding similar bites on a surprisingly rock hard calf and scarred shin.

"Oh, I'm so _sorry_ ," Law breathed, feeling utterly horrible at the sight. Bepo really wanted to mangle the man, and had done his best – if Sanji had been wearing shorts, he would have succeeded. He touched the non-bleeding wounds gently, finding that his Demon side was growing excited at the ugly marks.

 _Gorgeously delicious_! that side of him whispered as his breath caught. _If only Bepo had managed to tear shreds from his skin_ \- !

He cleared his throat apprehensively, startled at how easy it was for his Demon side to emerge like this. Nothing in his classes had evoked such a response, so it was strange to happen now. He looked to Sanji, who wore a questionably pinched expression. Law figured it was because the sight of the wounds was enough to cause any human trouble.

"Let me go buy some bandages," he said slowly, gently laying Sanji's foot to the ground and fixing his pants. "Can you make sure he doesn't escape?"

"Gladly," Sanji said in a frighteningly tight voice, stretching lips over fiendishly bright teeth. Law was wary of that expression. But he was up and hurrying away to buy some bandages and ointment for the spots of broken skin.

When he returned, he was so relieved and happy to see that Bepo was untouched and Sanji was smoking another cigarette, looking like he was having trouble breathing. But he allowed Law to treat his injuries, and the awkward silence between them felt troubling. Mostly because Law knew Sanji was upset with him and because Law didn't know why Sanji just didn't react as he should. It seemed like he was holding back.

After that was done, Law retrieved his dog and held him under one arm. "Let me walk you to work," he said clumsily, throwing the trash away with his other hand. "Just to make sure you get there okay."

"I ain't no damn woman, you shouldn't treat me like you would with one," Sanji snapped at him. "I can walk just fine!"

"I feel so bad, Sanji, please let me do it," Law begged, giving him a concerned look. Something in the man caused him to soften, and he growled but stayed at Law's side.

In a way, Sanji reminded Law of one of his friends. Relenting even in the face of their fear and shame in something as casual as failed human interaction. It occurred to Law that maybe Sanji didn't have any friends, and it made him realize that he didn't know that much about him.

He cleared his throat as they walked down the sidewalk of busy morning shoppers, the streets busy with traffic and activity. "Um, so…it's been a couple of weeks, now. And it occurred to me that I only know your phone number and first name. Can you tell me more about yourself?"

"Former drug addict who dropped out of college because of his bad habits," Sanji said, gesturing at himself.

Law nodded. _How glamorous_! his Demon side crowed. "That's unfortunate. So, how long have you worked at that place? I can't imagine that it pays very much."

"I live upstairs, have money taken out of my check to pay for it."

"How do you get by? Everything is so unreasonably priced around here."

"I don't need much. I eat leftovers or wrong orders. I just need my cigarettes."

"What about when your friends wants to meet up?"

"I don't have any," Sanji muttered. "It's better that way. All the ones I had were bad influences, and I deliberately lost contact with them."

"What about your family?"

"I lost contact with them, too."

"They were unsupportive?"

"You can say that. I burned a lot of bridges making the choices I did."

 _Only the most wretched of Demons are lucky to have such a backstory_! Law's Demon side exclaimed with much admiration.

"Oh. Well…maybe one of those days, you can come out with us," Law offered. "As a non-coach. Asides from our 5K club and, uh…other past times, we do like to eat out, do karaoke, watch IMAX movies, have study sleepovers – "

"You do realize _this_ was why you all are single?" Sanji interrupted. "You spend so much time with each other, you don't give women a chance to interfere!"

Law cleared his throat awkwardly. He nodded to acknowledge this. Along the way, he saw the way women sneaked glances and appreciative smiles towards Sanji; Sanji ignored them to focus on the conversation they were having. Law felt envious of the man's ability to garner such attention. But it also confused him because if Sanji was a clipped Demon, how was he still able to exude such abilities without forcing his form?

Maybe Sanji was some mysterious hybrid like him.

It surprised him when Sanji paused in mid-step and gestured at a couple of women wearing yoga gear. "Good morning, gorgeous! And a very good morning to you, gorgeousness's identical twin sister! Both of you ladies look absolutely _flawless_ after your workout! I see you looking at this dog – would you like to know his name?"

Law thought that he was talking about him once the women looked at him with frozen expressions. He completely forgot that Bepo was in his grasp. "Ah…hi…my name is – "

"No, not _you_! Your dog!" Sanji hissed at him.

"Ah. Yes. This is Bepo," Law said cautiously, offering them a better look of his pet. Bepo smiled and wiggled in appreciation as the women's entire demeanor changed once they had a chance to interact with his pet.

"He's so cute!"

"So adorable! Look at his little sweater!"

"How old is he?"

"Aw, such a cute _puppers_! He's so happy!"

"Law, let them pet him," Sanji ordered, and Law clumsily set his dog down. Bepo was happy with the attention he was receiving, ignoring Sanji as the women fawned over him. Sanji wore a seller's smile. "Isn't he cute? He's the most friendliest dog you'll ever meet! He also does tricks – c'mon, invite him to show off his talents!"

Law blinked because he was sure he hadn't mentioned to Sanji Bepo's ability to show off. But Bepo was eager to do so, hopping in place with short kicks of his back legs. The women squealed with joy as he then took to standing, walking in a slow circle while looking adorable. The women drew out their cellphones and admired him noisily, taking pictures.

Law whispered, "How did you know he does tricks?"

"He's wearing a _sweater_ ," Sanji told him impatiently. "He doesn't yap like all damn dogs do. He's well trained, it's obvious he'd _at least_ know tricks."

It made sense, but Law felt suspicious as Sanji turned away with an irritated expression, hand to his mouth. The level of cuteness Bepo was displaying was enough to garner attention from other passing women, but it seemed troublesome to Sanji.

Sanji suddenly looked at Law and said loudly, "You should have an Instagram for him! He's… _cute_ …and does tricks! I think it'd be a great idea if you could show him off on a personal page!"

"Oh my god, I'd totally follow it!" one of the younger women gasped, lowering her phone. She gave Law a somewhat twitchy expression as she made eye contact with him. "Please consider it!"

At the gentle pleas and encouragement to do so, Law felt compelled to say, "I do. Um…his at is…is Bepo's World."

There was a quiet moment in which Bepo's sudden fans opened their apps and found the page. They all squealed joyfully, said goodbye and disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Bepo looked disappointed with the loss of his audience, and looked at Sanji with accusing action. He snarled at the blond, who snarled back before he caught himself.

Law picked his dog up and cradled him in one arm, patting him to calm him.

"And that's how you can pick up women," Sanji said simply, walking on. "Use your fluffy rat – I mean, dog, and you can conversate with anyone."

"It seems easy, but they wanted to talk to him more than me."

" _Good_ – I mean, it's good that he gets the attention, it'll allow you to open up eventually. There's the café – thanks for walking me here, even though I didn't need it."

"Sanji," Law stopped him from walking on, grabbing his jacket, "um…thank you for my wallet. I appreciate it."

Sanji looked up at him, wearing a skeptical expression. Finally he exhaled shortly and said, "I'm just going to say it – I hope you think long and hard about what you want. Those women didn't give a shit about you. They thought more of your _pet_ than they did with you! You think this will change once you find one you really want? NO!"

"Well, I noticed, but I didn't really have a chance to actually speak – "

"Because they don't want to hear a thing you have to say!" Sanji exclaimed. He gestured at Law from head to toe. "Look at you! To them you aren't even close to their standards, and the one you find will only like you for your money. Finding a woman in this state… It's a lost cause."

 _Well, duh_ , _you obvious idiot_ , Law thought inwardly, feeling his Demon side ruffled. He couldn't tell if Sanji was being purposely mean or meanly truthful. Either way, he wasn't bothered because he knew Corazon's Glamour was one of the ugliest masks he could wear.

"Then…what should I do?" he asked tentatively.

Sanji seemed to be struggling with himself. There was something crazed about the way he focused intense eyes on Law's head – Law grew uncomfortable because he wasn't sure if Sanji were trying to kill him with his eyes or imagining him scooping out his insides with Bepo's mangled skull.

"Let's…work…on…your people skills," he said finally, and Law wondered if he had just given up on the possibility of a makeover. Sanji had a hard time speaking.

Bepo growled with warning from his arm, and Law patted him gently. Sanji's eyes dropped to his dog, jaw flexing with tension.

"First off," Sanji said instead, one long finger up, "say 'good morning' to everyone you pass by – "

"But most of the times they're not even looking at me."

"DO IT ANYWAY. And smile, let me see you smile."

Law did so, and Sanji looked winded, hand to his chest.

 _Die_ , Law thought viciously. _I hope your heart ailment gives me the good luck of having your death right in front of me_!

"Was it that bad?" he asked after some hesitation.

"It was wretched," Sanji wheezed, face red. Law furrowed his brow.

… _Wait, was that a compliment_?

"Less teeth," Sanji stressed, wiping his mouth. His hands were shaking as he withdrew his cigarettes and lit one up. Exhaling smoke, he then held the cigarette between pointer and thumb finger while twisting his hands to use his pinkies against his own mouth. "More _here_ , less tension here."

Law followed his instructions. Then he considered the expression. "It feels more like a smirk."

"It's more fitting for your face," Sanji muttered, puffing away.

Law wondered what his lungs looked like – he couldn't help but feel a hot heat run through him, imagining shrunken, blackened lungs filled with cancer and decay. It was such a beautiful thought that he shivered, Bepo looking up at him with concern.

"Let's try it out," Sanji then said, gesturing at people walking back. Law held his frozen smile in place and attempted to speak at the same time. But it came out in a vicious mumble instead, and people glanced at him apprehensively before hurrying off.

"I don't think I'm doing it right."

"No, no, it's _perfect_ , absolutely _perfect_ ," Sanji wheezed, hand to his face.

"You don't look so good. Perhaps you should call in," Law said with some concern.

Sanji calmed himself before he then leaned in to look at him. "I got a question to ask – it's been bothering me for awhile. You a Demon hiding under a Glamour? Or an Angel?"

Law was surprised to be asked that – he'd walked both sides without being recognized as either. So to be asked directly left him fumbling.

"Um…neither…? That's…that's a weird question," he sputtered, concentrating on his words. "Why? Why, do I…? Come off as either?"

Sanji made a face as he looked somewhat disappointed, wiping his nose. Law saw the smear of blood on his hand and could not understand how this man was prone to so many health problems looking as healthy as he did. He looked up at the air suspiciously, wondering if it were too dry – cocaine users did have very sensitive sinuses.

"It's just…I see you as one thing, and other people see you as someone else," Sanji mumbled, causing a dart of apprehension to shoot through Law.

"I thought only Angels and Demons could sense each other," he said carefully. "So it would mean that you – "

"I have my wings clipped," Sanji confessed tightly. "I did something…unnatural to my natural form, and I just chose to have them clipped."

Law's heart rate suddenly jumped because that sounded very close to his own personal experience. As long as those two had lived, Doflamingo and Corazon insisted that Law was the only shoulder devil in existence. But then he was suspicious because what would Sanji do with this information? Whatever side he was on, he could be a threat to Law, or was attempting to get to the pair at home.

"I am neither Angel or Demon," he said cautiously. Technically, he wasn't _lying_. "So it's odd that you would think that. What's…what do you see that's different?"

Sanji stared up at him for some silent moments, obviously debating on saying anything. It made Law incredibly nervous – Corazon's Glamours were strong and unwavering, so if Sanji could see his true form…well, it would cause some problems. He wasn't sure what side of him would react to whatever it was Sanji was. But truth to tell, he hadn't felt any part of him react in a way that would be telling.

"It doesn't mean anything," Sanji then said, reaching up to adjust his hat. "I don't want the hassle of that life. I identify as human, now."

" _Why_?" Law blurted out curiously, giving him an odd look. "Either one has abilities humans can only dream of having, so why abandon that potential?"

"Because it was too troublesome. And I don't understand why I did what I did. It's easier on you if I don't say what or where I come from."

But now Law was intrigued. Whatever Sanji did that was unnatural to his form had to have some significant affect already perpetuated in him before the act could occur. The feeling that he wasn't alone and could have some insight to his own form left an unfamiliar sensation to him that made him uncomfortable.

"Does that change your opinion of me?" Sanji then asked gruffly, not looking at him.

Law collected his thoughts before saying, "No. You've been nothing but nice to us. So…I'm assuming you're an – you're a former Angel. Um…with your wings clipped, that should mean that you wouldn't be confronted by Demons, right?"

"Only those that remember who I was before will react, but I…am alone for a reason," Sanji said carefully.

Law remembered the mall, where Sanji suddenly left without warning. He hadn't heard anything unusual or saw anybody give pursuit, but that's how these battles happened. But it bothered him that there wasn't a clear point to this confession – why tell him what he truly was? Did he sense something of Law? Was he leading him into some sort of trap?

"I should go," he then said uncomfortably.

"What, does this scare you? I only said this because I suspected you were one yourself!"

"It does make me nervous," Law said carefully, looking at Bepo with trepidation. "Because people can get hurt if one recognizes you, even if it were a former profession."

"Does this…does this mean you don't want my help anymore?" Sanji asked him, looking at him with such a ferocious expression that Bepo growled in warning.

"Ah…I'll contact you," Law said before hastily walking away.

"FINE! FORGET IT! You don't need my help anyway!" he heard Sanji yell after him. "I don't need to waste my time helping you wimps!"

If Law had looked back at that moment, he would have seen a very dejected and heartbroken man watching him leave. And a certain blond man watching the confrontation with too much interest, waiting for his chance just off the street corner.

He burst through the doors of the mansion, Bepo leaping out of his arms. "CORA!"

"What is it?" Corazon asked in a hiss, appearing very suddenly from the shadows – as if he were waiting impatiently at the window for his return. "What happened? Are you upset?"

"You said Sanji was a Demon, right?" Law asked, leaving his human form as Bepo barked and snapped at the hissing shadows that tried to crowd around him.

"Yes! Nothing to be concerned with when it comes to you, though. We investigated for ourselves," Corazon assured him.

"What is considered 'unnatural' behavior for Demons?" Law asked curiously. "What could make them lose their wings and want the life of a human?"

"True love!" Doflamingo exclaimed, bursting out from a level high above them in human form. His lips sparkled from the hellish light around them. "The most noble of all Demon ailments, a punishment so _decent_ that it makes the rest of us shudder!"

"But _I'm_ looking for true love," Law pointed out, "and I don't see it that way."

"It's because of your offensive Angel side, son."

"Did Sanji confess to this?" Corazon asked with worry. "Perhaps you shouldn't hang out with that boy anymore. He sounds like a very ghastly influence on you."

"He didn't say the reason _why_ he had his wings clipped, and he didn't exactly state what he was, even though it's pretty much what everyone suspects," Law said, flopping onto a couch that materialized to catch him. "But I want to know how a decision like that would make someone want to abandon their form for the life of a human!"

Doflamingo hopped down to their level, saying threateningly, "I hope you aren't pursuing the same path, because I will personally punish you! And it'll break my heart because I will do it as pretty and as honorable as an Angel would with their young!"

"No! Don't! We can talk this out!" Corazon cried desperately.

"I don't want to be human!" Law rolled onto his stomach to allow Bepo to hop up onto the couch and climb up to settle between his wings, panting lightly. "But now I'm nervous because what if he was like me? I know no other like me. Or what if he's leading me into a trap?"

Doflamingo tapped his fingers together thoughtfully as Corazon's Demonic face looked stunned, claws to his face plate.

"I can't imagine what sort of trap it would be," Doflamingo said. "No one knows you exist. If one side influences you more than the other, then perhaps that group would want to be invasive. But you've been so careful. That does it. CORA!"

"There is no need to YELL!"

"Set out your little minions to follow this creep. We must see what his intentions are," Doflamingo declared. "If I set mine out, they'll try to eat him. They're very unreasonable."

"FINE." With a snap of his fingers, they were treated to the sound of the pillars shuddering as an army of Corazon's minions set out. "Done."

"Meanwhile, stay friends with him, Law," Doflamingo instructed. "We need to keep our enemies close."

"I feel bad because Bepo nearly mauled him to death," Law said airily, the dog barking cheerily at the sound of his name. "So I should continue to make it up to him."

With a snap of his fingers, a cow appeared before Law, causing him to startle as the animal gave a surprised cry. "Bepo. Your reward for a job well done. But I expect bigger things from you, next time."

Corazon removed the cow with an impatient sound, retrieving doggie treats from mid-air. Bepo flew over to him happily, wiggling his tail with excitement. Doflamingo looked down at them with disgust, huge lips drawn back with disapproval. He wiped his saliva away, hungered at the sight of the tiny animal before looking back at Law.

"I guess I shouldn't have panicked, but I had to be cautious," Law decided, sitting up, wings fluttering as his multiple arms shifted to move his weight and cross at the same time. His smartphone appeared in one set of hands, and he read his messages. Then he jumped up. "Oh! My squad! I'm late!"

"Video games are products of the Angels, created to lure you into a life of laziness and lack of ambitions!" Doflamingo hollered after him with disappointment. Bepo abandoned Corazon and raced after his master.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Naghitan: they are a confusing pair who needs to find answers...preferably with each other! :D Law just needs to accept Sanji into his life, and Sanji better just accept what he's in for XD their (un)happiness is gauarenteed!**_

 _ **HS: I did! It's so embarrassing! I started writing to end it and realized that I hated my ending and suddenly nothing made sense and I feel like there's so much more and I can't write it all IT HAS TO END and just...aghhhh Anyway maybe this fic should help ease the pain :D lol this chapter will reveal what law thinks of his friends and a little more! Laws demon/angel sides compete with him all the time; it's a wonder he doesn't have problems**_

 _ **happy Balon: it helps that I wrote out several chapters first :D**_

 _ **Chapter Six**_

* * *

Zeff gave a cautious look at Sanji, who was sprawled onto the floor between the kitchen and the main office, cellphone on his chest. His dazed, troubled expression spoke volumes – like a man who had seen a traumatizing event right in front of him. Zeff felt he already knew what had happened. Patty and Carne kept glancing over with careful expressions; both of them knew they couldn't joke about things just yet.

Zeff sighed heavily, hands on his hips. "I told you this would happen."

"All I need is ten more minutes," Sanji replied woodenly. "Legally, I'm allowed two fifteen minute breaks and a thirty minute lunch. This is my first break."

"Work break? Or heart break?" Carne asked, Patty hitting him.

"It happened too fast," Zeff said with disapproval. "So…what should we do? Ignore you?"

Sanji sighed heavily. "Just walk all over me, make me feel physical pain. Grind my physical body into bloody guts and shards of bone until I can no longer be put together again."

"Whelp, you heard the kid," Patty said, preparing to do so with his sharply heeled boots. Zeff shoved him back to the counter.

"You knew it wasn't going to work," Zeff told Sanji impatiently. "And what's with all the bandaging on your neck? Isn't there more creative ways to cover a hickey?"

"His dog hates me. He sensed my true intentions. I promise to hunt him down and cook him up with stirfry and some soup. I will feast on his spoiled baby bones and console Law at the same time. He will then grow to love me, unknowing that the very dog he was missing has made it's home inside of me by strengthening my own body with his sustenance. It will be a twisted, wicked sort of love. He will love us both."

"I thought I watched that movie about that on Lifetime, once," Carne murmured thoughtfully. "It was really suspenseful."

"Did it have a happy ending?" Patty asked curiously.

Zeff gave Sanji an impatient look. "Is that it?"

"I told him my wings were clipped," Sanji groaned, rolling onto his side to hug his knees. "I should've never, but I just wanted to know the truth. So he got scared and ran!"

Zeff exhaled sharply. "Well, that's a normal human reaction. If he were any other, it would've been different. Guess he ain't what we were thinking he was."

"I feel like my soul was ripped away from me," Sanji murmured, picking at the kitchen tiles as his cellphone clattered to the floor. "He's never going to speak to me again. And why should he? I'm just a worthless human being…!"

"Yeah you are, but there's more to the world than just one person. Plenty of fish in the sea," Zeff said gruffly. "Better persons, _stronger_ persons that are willing to risk danger just to be close to you."

Sanji sniffled. "But I wanted _him_!"

"Get up! Enough of this! Things happened for a reason! Now that it opened your eyes to a bigger world, you should have a better time exploring it for other options!" Zeff roughly hauled him to his feet and pushed him towards the doors. "Get out there and work your hardest! Carne can close up – leave around four and get it out of your system by tomorrow!"

"I'm going to die _single_ and _alone_! With no one discovering my body until - !" Sanji perked up immediately at seeing the cute women at the counter, looking at the menu cheerfully. " _Ladies_! Aren't you a sight for lonely eyes? Your beauty transcends any mortal thinking! How lucky am I to have been graced by your presence! You've made my day!"

"He recovers quickly," Carne muttered.

After work, Sanji sluggishly returned to his apartment. He felt like all life had left him when Law turned away from him. The sight of that beauty's back to him, the way he reacted to Sanji's confession was on repeat in his thoughts. He slumped to the carpeted floor and stared up at the ceiling, phone dropping to the floor from his pocket. The silence of the place enveloped him, his blood rushing at a snail's pace to his extremities.

He had thought today would be one of the most best days of his life; first Law approached him in that outfit, which brought out the gold brilliance of his eyes and clung to every long inch of him, even giving hint of his rather manly bulge. Next was the sight of him holding that _hideously_ ugly creature he adored, and _obviously_ adoring it, making Sanji so sick with jealousy that he had a hard time restraining himself from imagining being in Bepo's place. Then there was the whole mini-doctor fantasy coming to life moment, and Sanji's skin, if it could have, would have oozed onto the street from the mere touch of the man's hands on him.

But Sanji had to open his dumb mouth and say those things that caused the man to run, so his heart felt like it had been driven through with a dagger with a jagged edge. It hurt more and more when he thought about it. He sluggishly rolled to his stomach and looked at his laptop sitting on the coffee table he'd found sitting out on the street. Army crawling towards it, he managed to pull it off and open it up. The screen lit up with his favorite Law screenshot on it, one where the man was posed stiffly next to a poorly dressed cosplayer that Sanji assumed was a Fortnite character.

He pulled up his pictures and limply scrolled through each one. By the time it felt like his heart had made its way to his toes, he slumped over the keypad, head in his arms. Law may have left him, but Sanji could still stalk him.

He exhaled heavily, aware that his heart and mind were mush. He couldn't quite think clearly – it was like going through withdrawals all over again, his body aching and crying out for stimulated satisfaction and being forced without. He then looked at the time – he was pretty sure Law would be out on a jog this evening, and Sanji planned on showing up anyway.

When the time came, he kept himself out of sight. He stretched as they did, keeping himself firmly hidden behind a hooded sweater, beanie to hide his hair and fake glasses with polarized tint on them. The group was as chatty and self-involved as they always were, laughing and talking amongst each other as they stretched off the path. It killed Sanji's heart to see Law as he normally was – talking occasionally and clumsily nearly hurting himself as the group caught sight of beautiful women as they walked or ran by. All of them were so obvious it made Sanji snarl at their lack of grace and stealth.

They started at a slow pace, and Sanji kept up by jogging some distance behind them. He was starting to hate that Jean Bart character – he kept running directly behind Law, which made it difficult for Sanji to focus on that perfectly flat runner's ass; he needed that vision in order to ignore how his lungs screamed and his limbs protested with the ungodly act of running.

They had just rounded a play park when Sanji's sharp Beautiful Woman vision caught sight of something startling just ahead of them – a flare of bright orange hair. He veered off the path with a gasp as he realized it was Nami. The thief was entering the path with a skimpy sports bra that did nothing to hide her assets, form hugging yoga pants and bright Nike shoes. She sauntered directly into the group's path, causing all the nerdy men to stumble and tumble all over each other as they were attacked by her vicious curves. Sanji hugged a tree with a hiss, in the midst of climbing it as he struggled to restrain himself from revealing his presence. She was up to something – never had Sanji seen her in the area. It was too weird of a coincidence for her to show up where Law was.

Nami tossed her hair and looked back at the fallen group with surprise. "Oh, hohoho! What's this? Did I walk into your way?"

Sanji gnawed on his nails as horribly embarrassing responses rang out from the group. They all patted dirt away awkwardly, all of them red-faced but looking at her with all the wide-eyed wonder men like them could when a beautiful woman addressed them. She giggled, twisting her hips this way and that as she then apologized.

"I'm soooo sorry!" she said airily, combing out her hair. "Look at all of you! Running for awhile, huh?"

Cue more fumbling answers, and it killed Sanji straight through the heart to see Law was just as awkward as his friends. He bumped his head against the tree several times, clinging to it with both arms and legs; earning puzzled stares from those that caught sight of him from the pathway.

"My, you're all so athletic!" she purred. "Look at you! Are you qualifying for the Olympics, maybe?"

She was up to something, Sanji realized. There was no way a woman like her would bother with men like them – considering that she was the one who had Law's wallet, she must've realized she had hit a jackpot of sorts dipping her toes into the water. Sanji stopped banging his head to peer at her suspiciously, then looked off to the side.

Sure enough, those two boys from yesterday were laughing and shouting at the playground, taking to the equipment like overgrown kids. The Angel that had confronted him at the mall was sitting nearby, on a verge of a nap. Horror registered within Sanji – were they targeting Law because of him? He hissed out a breath, then chomped on a nearby branch in an attempt to soothe his cigarette craving.

"My name is Nami," she purred, gesturing herself with too long lingering contact on her chest. Of course all their eyes settled there. Sanji's chomping turned vicious. "Can I trouble all of you for yours? So that I may apologize to each and every one of you personally for my screw up?"

" _Demon_!" Sanji hissed, leaping down from the tree. He made to interfere when three heads snapped in his direction, so he quickly re-hid himself and lowered his Demonic aura to escape notice. Panting tightly, he struggled to control his feelings, listening to the group eagerly present their names.

"Oh? So _you're_ Trafalgar Law?" he heard Nami ask, a gentle laugh leaving her. "I found your wallet the other day – did your nice friend return it to you?"

Sanji froze, holding his breath to listen.

"Yes," he heard Law say, a puzzled tilt to his tone. "He said he found it."

"He didn't mention _me_?" Nami questioned curiously. "After all, _I_ found it in the parking lot at the med school you attend. I was going to return it to you myself, but he was _so_ insistent – "

"You two are friends?"

Nami laughed again. "Oh, acquaintances, really. We _barely_ know each other, but he knew you very well. Even down to the birthday of your dog and where you got him."

Sanji felt all his blood freeze as panic coursed through him. She was a Demon without the aura, without the form, without - !

"…Oh…I see."

Sanji wondered what type of face Law was making to sound that way. He remembered quite clearly deflecting Law's questions earlier that day about Bepo – and this witch was giving it all away! _Why_?

"Well, I'm happy you received your wallet, back. I like your name – it's very English. Have you visited Britain before?"

"…No. Um…excuse me…"

Sanji was startled to feel his own phone vibrate in his pants pocket, and he retrieved it to see that Law had messaged him.

' _Do you have a friend named Nami_?'

Sanji gnawed on a finger, sweating anxiously. Then he realized he could save this potentially calamitous situation. With held breath, he answered, ' _She was part of a group of Angels that attacked me years ago. Why?_ '

Sanji cautiously peeked around the tree, just in time to see Law's friends sputtering over themselves to talk to Nami while the man himself looked at his phone. He looked quite pensive as he lowered the phone to his side.

Sanji added quickly, ' _She's never without them. *Why?_ '

Law read his message, then looked around himself. It occurred to Sanji that he was very uncomfortable – with the same sort of caution he'd shown to him hours earlier. Only he should have been fine with Angels nearby – why was he reacting in the same manner towards them as he had with Sanji? He put his phone back into his sweats pocket, then turned to the others.

"Excuse me," he interrupted, "but there is an emergency at home I must attend to."

"Oh, but!" Nami exclaimed, reaching out to grab his wrist as he made to walk away.

" _Just let him walk, you dirty Demon_!" Sanji hissed, grabbing the tree once more, gnawing on another branch as he continued to stay out of sight and keep his mouth occupied at the same time.

"How about we get to know each other, sometime?" Nami asked him, sweeping her hair from her face. "Just you and me?"

Sanji couldn't help it – he texted Law back, knowing Law received it because he reacted as if he were reaching for his pocket but stopped. So Sanji called him, the ring of the cellphone interrupting the moment. As much as he wanted to bawl him out for his bad behavior, Law did answer while Nami waited.

"If she should be contacting you, be aware that she is also a thief," Sanji said, cupping his hand around his microphone to be heard. "Long time ago, I interrupted her stealing wallets from guys' pockets, and when I confronted her about it, that's when her friends attacked."

"Oh, I see," Law answered stiffly. "Why are you here watching us?"

"I've got better things to do than stalk you!" Sanji snapped at him, outraged before he glanced back to see if Law had heard his voice and realized Law was looking right at him. Sanji hastily jumped back behind the tree.

"I already saw you," Law said plainly.

"Who are you talking to?" Nami asked, ripping his phone from his hand. "Hello? Hello? Who is this?"

Sanji hung up, aghast at being found out. He looked for a new place to hide, using a passing group of joggers to duck low behind and follow them until he could dive behind some bushes. By the time he peeked out to see if the coast was clear, Law was standing by the tree with a suspicious look to his face. Sanji tried not to cry.

"My _precious_ \- !" he heaved in a tortured whisper, gnawing at his fingernails. "She _stole_ him from me. Sneaky little Demon! Wicked, tricky _pretender_!"

He jumped when his phone rang, Law being the caller. Only he didn't have his phone in his hand, Nami still did. The sound of his ringtone playing out caught Law's attention his way. Sanji had to admit he was caught. When Law found him sitting behind the bushes, Sanji gave him a weak smile.

Law didn't know what to say, wearing such a stupefied expression that his arms just hung at his sides. He looked away, making the step to walk when Sanji lunged out and grabbed his ankle.

" _I can explain_!" he hissed.

"What's going on over here?" Nami asked, rounding the bush and catching sight of Sanji. Her expression turned surprised, but she handed Law his phone. Her features shifted into that of disdain. "Oh. It's you. The pervert."

"I'm no pervert!" Sanji snarled at her, on his feet. "You're up to something!"

"What? How can you say that? I was just out on a walk and became interested in meeting new friends," Nami purred, reaching out to touch Law's arm with a flirtatious pat.

Sanji didn't hold back – he grabbed her hand and flung it away from the surprised man. " _Don't touch him_!"

Nami laughed merrily, flipping her hair behind her shoulders. "Why are you so threatened, Demon dear?"

"Hide your wallet!" Sanji snapped at Law.

"Penguin has it," Law said dumbly.

"Oh, hey, it's that guy," Luffy said, walking over with a slightly eager look. The other two wore similar expressions, their Angel auras starting to pulse against Sanji's Demon instincts. Sanji reigned in his feelings, but it was difficult to contain this time. Not with the man-eating Demon standing so close to his _precious_.

"I already checked his pockets," Nami said, knowing she was goading the situation. Law looked alarmed as Sanji's face reddened with fury.

"Don't. _Touch_. Him!" he repeated on a snarl.

"I knew that was you," Zoro said, jaw twitching. "You were at the mall – you decided to pop up from the shadows? Where's your wings?"

"I'm just going to go _over there_ ," Law decided, making to escape as the tension started to build. His friends were watching with puzzled expressions, gathering closely.

"Oh, hey, it's Sanji!" Shachi said cheerfully.

"Is this one of your tests?" Hudson asked Sanji hopefully, looking to Nami with hearts in his eyes. "Did we pass?"

"' _Tests'_?" Nami repeated. "What sort of 'tests'?"

"I can explain!" Sanji then said over their voices, hurrying after Law.

"Explain _what_? That you're actually some weird creep?" Law asked, looking at him with dismay.

Sanji's feelings were all over the place – he could see that Law would hate him after this. He was frustrated he couldn't speak clearly, he felt pressured by the Angels watching him with hungry eyes, and with the weird fact Law was reacting to each Demon and Angel as if they were a threat.

"It was important that I know exactly who I was getting involved with," he answered hastily. "Considering my past - !"

"So why lie?"

"So I wouldn't be mistaken for a creep!"

"It's too late," Nami snickered. "Yesterday, he begged me for your wallet back. Saying all these things about how valuable you were to him. A total image of a man in love! Were you aware that he was like that towards you?"

Law looked at her with shock, then looked at Sanji while everyone looked at the Demon with struck expressions. Luffy, Ussop and Zoro looked confused, almost let down. Sanji felt himself sweat, dribbling with it as he debated on what to say. But Law looked at Nami.

"Then you lied, too," he stated evenly. "You said you found my wallet in the parking lot. As I see it, he overheard you or caught you in the act of using my funds. A woman like you would not talk to a man like me – for you to approach us and flirt with all of us like we're suddenly a collection of prizes speaks volumes of your true intentions."

Nami looked insulted. But she crossed her arms over her chest and said, "It's true. But you live with two well known Demons that have caused plenty of trouble to this city. Their locations are unknown. If we can get to them through you – "

"Wow, lady, for someone that looks as you do, you're a witch," Penguin interjected, inserting himself in front of Law. "He can't help where he came from, and you're unfairly targeting him for some weird thing."

"He's a normal human!" Jean Bart commented, pushing his bulk to the front.

"And _you_ guys are just raring for a fight," Shachi pointed out of the trio. "You've been huffing like a 'builder on steroids, waiting for Sanji, a _reformed_ Demon, to do something just so you can attack."

"I know," Luffy sighed, looking guilty. "But after yesterday, I know he's suppressing his power to appear less threatening – anyone with clipped wings can't do that, so I thought we could fight him again."

"Obviously, I'm not looking for a fight!" Sanji snapped at him.

"I know they say Demons are pretty bad, but you Angels are nothing but bullies!" Ptarmigan declared, looking at them with contempt. "You're picking on one that doesn't want to fight."

"We're sorry," Luffy and Ussop apologized while Zoro looked annoyed, Nami frowning at the group.

"It's part of our tasks to eliminate Demons," Zoro said. "If there happens to be one that's causing trouble towards humans, then we have to fix it. From what we're looking at, he's causing trouble with you by not telling you his true intentions."

"None of it would've been any 'trouble' if you hadn't butted your nosey heads into it!" Sanji snapped at him.

"Oh, so we're expected to just ignore the fact that you were busted stalking this guy?"

"It's not ' _stalking'_ ," Sanji exclaimed anxiously.

Law realized Nami was staring at him, her finger to her chin in contemplation. "You're a very ugly man," she decided, "so it's no wonder a Demon would be drawn so towards you. But it's funny – when I looked through your wallet yesterday, all of your profile pics were slightly blurry. It suggests a Glamour – so which are you?"

"I don't sense anything from him," Luffy said, looking at Law closely. He sniffed him thoughtfully, Law shoving him away.

"Nothing here," Zoro said, tilting his head. "He seems like a very normal human."

"I'm neither of these things, and all of you are very rude!" Law snapped at them. "I want to go home."

"Before you do, Traffle-guy," Nami said, retrieving a printout from her back pocket and holding it up. Law was stunned to see that it was an old picture of his family, and couldn't speak. "I found this on the internet while doing some research. Your family was comprised of Angels, yet you're in the company of Demons. Which side will you bat for, considering the circumstances? Eventually, everyone chooses a side…"

Sanji snatched that out of her hands. "Why are you a human? Of all the things you could goad someone with, bringing up their past is cruel!"

"Studies have shown that any dominating Angel or Demon family will result in Angel or Demon kids," Nami said. "Just like you, Sanji _Vinsmoke_ – coming from a family of Demons yourself. Fate is inescapable. So, which side will you turn to when you decide to open those wings? Or have you already decided, leaning on the weight of your Demon guardians?"

Law was quiet for a few moments before he said tightly, "You were right, Sanji. Women are nothing but tools of destruction."

Sanji furrowed his brow. He didn't remember saying that exactly, but he was feeling something hot coming from the other man. An anger that felt strong and deliciously warm and destructive, and he noticed that the heads of the trio perked up. Whatever it was that was surging forth within the man was going to garner something inevitable. He noticed Zoro watching him, shoulders suddenly tremoring as he held back his transformation.

As curious as he was to whatever transformation was threatening to emerge, his gallant instincts popped up first. There was a maiden in distress – _man in distress_ – and he needed Sanji's help. Only Sanji could Save him.

He stepped in front of Law, lighting up a cigarette as he allowed what was left of his Demon aura to catch the attention of the three that then looked at him hungrily. He said coolly, "I no longer go by that name – I have no affiliation with that family. If you want to remember me, my name is Sanji _Blackleg_. And if you're looking for a fight, you can find it with me."

"It's not you I'm interested in," Nami said. "His name is more important."

"I lost my wings during that fight with you guys in the mall because I saw how careless both of us were when it came to Saving humans. In our blind rage to destroy each other, we were destroying those that _you_ were sworn to protect and _we_ were sworn to punish. I'm stepping in now to do the opposite of that – I will protect those you are supposed to protect to prevent you from killing them. Their blood will not be on your wings."

Nami frowned at him, hand up to press against Luffy's head to prevent him from moving forward. She looked around them to see curious spectators watching them, and the scared but brave faces of Law's friends. The man himself wore a somewhat terse expression.

Zoro suddenly looked surprised as he looked at Law, his jaw dropping slightly. " _Oh_ ," he said, at the same time Luffy and Ussop noticed as well. Both of them reacted with noticeable admiration before hastily reeling themselves in. Their mannerisms were similar to catching sight of a celebrity.

"I guess that settles it," Luffy then said, Nami looking at them with disbelief. The three of them had lost their eager tension, looking let down. "Sorry we bothered you guys. It looks like it's under your control."

"We're just going to move on, get out of your way," Ussop said, giving an enthusiastic arm pump as he made to walk away.

"Guys?" Nami questioned as Zoro leaned in towards Sanji and muttered, "I will know when you get those wings back, Demon."

Sanji blew cigarette smoke into his face, watching the three leave Nami behind as the woman looked after them with surprise.

"Guys! What the hell?" she exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it, Nami. That guy's an Angel," Luffy said, gesturing at Law, who remained tense. Luffy looked at Sanji reluctantly. "It would've been fun to get into it, again. Let us know when you decide to get your wings back."

"What? You guys just _said_ \- ! Argh!" Nami turned to glare at the group, saying, "We're coming for those guardians of yours! Don't think it'll be that easy next time!"

Having heard what Luffy said, Sanji looked to Law with surprise but all he sensed was Law's agitation and helpless human anger. That feeling he'd felt earlier was long gone. The group all released pent up exhales and either fell to the pavement on their knees or leaned on each other for support.

"I was so _scared_!" Shachi laughed.

"My knees were knocking so bad, I thought you guys heard them!" Ptarmigan said, wiping tears from his eyes.

"I had hoped they wouldn't do any further challenging," Jean Bart said, absurdly nervously as he wiped his forehead. "I might be big, but I know nothing about fighting."

"That was really cool what you just did right now, Sanji," Hudson said to the former Demon, praising him. "Even _if_ you have your wings clipped, you still stood up to three Angels like they were nothing!"

"Yeah!" Penguin added, patting Sanji's shoulder, "You totally made us believe in you! I thought for a moment you'd change shape and kick their asses!"

"I just confessed what I'd been hiding for years, and you accept it just like that?" Sanji asked incredulously. "Shouldn't you be afraid of me?"

"Nah, no worries. The way you stood up to them was more of an Angel thing, actually, so are you sure you're a Demon? Usually, you guys lunge in without a second thought to anyone's safety."

"…Yeah…" Sanji answered slowly, confused with their reactions. But the only one that mattered most was Law's, and he hadn't said anything yet. As if thinking the same thing, the others looked at the man.

"And what was this about you being an Angel?" Shachi asked his friend curiously. "We know who your guardians are, but you never said anything about choosing sides."

Law looked trapped by the curious expressions of his friends, then looked to Sanji. His face reddened and he looked away before turning and walking in the other direction. Sanji felt let down, knowing that Law wouldn't forget the weird confession earlier. But he flicked his finished cigarette aside and began hurrying after him.

"As weird as things are," he called after him, "in the end, I was useful."

Law paused in mid-step, then turned to look at him incredulously. "'Useful'? How was any of this 'useful'? You exposed a group of Demon hunters who became interested in who I am and who my family is – "

"It's not that much of a secret if everyone knows who your family is," Sanji pointed out. "You even mentioned that to me in the first place."

"And you lied to me! Here, you were… _stalking_ me!"

"For a good purpose!" Sanji snapped, turning red in the face. "Okay, fine, I'm not going to lie anymore about it. I like you."

"Because of my Glamour!"

"I can't see that! Yes, Demons love ugly things, and to be honest, I've been swept in by ugly faces but I also see beautiful faces, too! That's a thing about me that I don't understand – why am I so different from other Demons that my motivation for losing my power is because I don't want to hurt any more people?"

"To think you knew everything about me," Law muttered bitterly, fists clenched. "That thing about Bepo, too – you knew about all of that."

"I did, but I didn't want to sound like - !"

"Well, it sounds creepier now!"

"It does," Sanji admitted awkwardly, looking at his nervously fiddling hands. "I didn't want to be exposed like that. I knew exactly what you were looking for, but I couldn't help myself."

It struck Law at that moment that Sanji reminded him of Corazon – Corazon would say one thing but do another just to soothe over the trouble. At the same time, Law felt his curiosity arise; he hadn't exposed himself outside the mansion walls out of his own undecided anxiety over where he stood, and he had a feeling his presence would cause mass confusion. But he was surprised by the reaction of those facing off with him.

The Angels had reacted mainly to Sanji's Demonic presence, but they'd responded well to the moment Law allowed just a bit of his Angel aura to shine through. He had to admit, he didn't feel too comfortable allowing the three brutes to tear into a wingless Demon that stuck up for him. But it was _that_ aspect that had him confused because he while he accepted that his own group of friends were cutely fragile and vulnerable as humans that needed to be protected at all costs, he hadn't bothered extending his circle to include others. His Demon side would have reveled in watching Sanji struggle, but his Angel side…

So he was confused why he considered Sanji's safety. Especially when it came to light that Sanji had some sort of weird crush on him.

Glancing off to the side, he saw that his friends were in the distance – they were the only two standing on the pedestrian bridge. Instead of reacting to him as he did as a human, Law stiffened his frame and caught Sanji's surprised attention by revealing himself as a Demon.

"You _mongrel_ ," he said in a voice that caused Sanji to look at him with wide-eyed surprise. "Inserting yourself into this matter with all the blind, flowery mindset of an Angel, you think that your cutesy feelings will excuse the actions I find insulting? You invaded my privacy to convince yourself that I would find your gallantry impressive. I should have let them crush you like a bug, so I could wipe my shoes in your leftover matter and allow my fathers to feast off your worthlessness as a pre-dinner snack."

Sanji's mouth fell open as he gaped up at the revealed Demon.

In a flash, Law presented him with his Angel side, giving him a flushing, demure stature with an abashed appearance. "But it's so flattering that you could see beyond my ugliness to embrace who I am as a person – this part of me that no one bothers to see, considering how my appearance is unaccepted in society."

Sanji's facial features twitched, understandably darkening at the sight and feel of an Angel present. So Law put that away for later – how could a clipped Demon still retain their powers? But he continued to look up at Law like he'd just been slapped.

Satisfied with his reaction, Law pulled both sides together to present himself calmly, retaining a normal human discomfort to the confession.

"I get it, man," he said with a fumble. "But I can't allow myself to return any feelings you might have. I've been looking for a woman, not another man – "

Sanji surprised him by clasping onto his sweater with both hands, snarling, "MARRY ME! _RIGHT NOW_! You've made me so hot and bothered by your Demonly promises that I don't care about your filthy rotten Angel side - !"

"No! _Get off_! Weirdo! Help! _Rape_!"

"It's only rape if you don't consent, and you WILL once I get my hands on your most secretive of places - !"

"Help! Police! I'm being attacked!"

"Show me your Demon side again, _please_!" Sanji cried, hugging onto his waist as Law tried to get away. People who heard Law shout out earlier only caught sight of a thin, bony man with his arms hardly able to wrap around a thicker man's waist. Because it only seemed comedic, they only chuckled and walked on, ignoring Law's desperate expression.

"I was feeling bad for my actions, but I don't regret them now!" Sanji said with determination, squeezing tightly as Law fought to rip him away. "Now I'm thirstier than ever! My love will know no limits once you've accepted that there is no escape from me! You hydrate my drought ridden bones and soul with just the fire of your rotten Dorito breath alone!"

"I don't eat Doritos! I don't even like chips! Get off me – have you gone insane?"

"Whatever illness you suffer all alone with can be cured by my love and adoration!" Sanji cried, climbing onto his back and hugging him tightly while Law struggled to loosen his grip. "I will take it all upon myself to remove that gallant Angel side of you so that you may live life shamefully with me!"

"I don't want that!" Law managed to remove his grip – he sucked in air with a panic, surprised at how much strength such a thin man had with his spindly arms. He awkwardly tossed him from his back. Managing to get his breath back, he shot Sanji a terrified look while keeping space between them to avoid another attack. "Why are you so _weird_?"

"Love makes us all do weird things," Sanji said in reply, too far gone in his lovelust that he wasn't reading the other man's mood.

"First of all, that word isn't registered in the Demon's vocabulary, and it's considered piety for them, yet you use them freely and even throw yourself into something that's considered Angel only territory!" Law exclaimed. "Is that what happens when a Demon's wings are clipped? You lose entire belief in your own race?"

Sanji slowly picked himself up, brushing off his pants. He found his cigarettes and lit one. "I told you, I was weird."

Law studied him for a few moments, then said cautiously, "Do you possibly have an Angel and Demon side, too?"

"My mom was an Angel – my family consists of Demons. I was a very good Demon until that one day."

"Those drugs and bad behaviors – were you trying to force yourself into thinking you were more of a Demon?"

Sanji smoked for a few moments, then turned to walk away. "I expressed myself enough. I'm going home."

"I _demand_ answers! It's the least you can do!"

"Then you know where to find me."

Smirking, Sanji walked off with the full satisfaction in knowing that Law would not walk away from this one. His interest in the subject, combined with the personas he just revealed just gave Sanji a huge gambling tool to play with.

Law watched him leave, feeling pissed that he was being played with. He would just have to show that silly Demon just what sort of person he truly was.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: It's not that serious

 **Naghi-Tan** : It's too late XD

 **fyoyarn** : Probably expect a 2-3 chapter update in the upcoming weeks :D Sanji is creepy, but he's rather tame with his weird Angel behavior. He gets worse eventually, haha It's so weird writing Law like this – I'm having a hard time keeping just a shape of him as Law! haha Sanji isn't now that he lost *most of his Demon qualities. He's just Sanji.

 _ **Chapter Seven**_

* * *

The next day, Sanji was in such a bright mood that the cooks immediately complained to Zeff. Zeff already had a headache, nursing a couple of painkillers with a glass of wine. Sanji was busy singing and showering every female in the shop with over-the-top service while actively snapping and snarling at the men. In between, he'd decorate the cakes ready for his attention with navy blue, gold and suspicious characters that looked like blue devils and angels.

"This is unreasonable!" Carne shouted, holding up a cupcake with a devil biting into what looked like a white snowball. "You can't go from heartbreak to back in love in the matter of hours!"

"This is a hostile work environment!" Patty declared, waving a knife around.

"Admittedly, business has picked up because of his work, so I refuse to fire him. If you can't tolerate his mood, then find another place of employment," Zeff said between gritted teeth. He gathered all the cakes that had other suggested violence decorated onto them, and put them into the Employee Slop Pile.

"We can't work anywhere else!"

"No one else accepts my delicate condition."

"What delicate condition is that?"

"I've got a delicate _patella_."

"Shut up!"

"I," Sanji interrupted their shouts, twirling into the kitchen, "have some great news!"

"You're firing yourself," Carne muttered.

"You're losing your voice forever within the next six minutes."

"I wish! All beautiful calamities, but not today," Sanji said, posing at the counter. "While my love wasn't rejected – "

"What are you in such a good mood for?"

" – the man I'm going to marry has a secret to him that I can't tell anybody," Sanji finished with a flourish, retrieving Table 5's dishes. "So don't anybody ask me."

" _Then why tell us at all_?"

"I'm _this close_ to drug testing you," Zeff threatened. "And it's cotton swabs, not the piss test."

"Do it! And celebrate with the fact that the only drug I'm on is absolute True Love!" Sanji declared, sailing out the doors. He popped back in to add, "TM."

Once he was gone, Carne flung his spatula into the sink. " _Zeff_!"

"So he's in a good mood," Zeff sighed. "How often does it happen?"

"This is absolute mania, and I refuse to stand by while he suffers," Carne said, lowering his knife and picking up the cleaver. "I will _humanely_ end his life to save taxpayers' money."

"You realize that it's impossible for a human to kill a Demon?" Zeff asked with disinterest. "Even with his wings clipped, he's still that much stronger than a human."

Carne nodded gravely. "I will do my absolute best to test this theory."

Sanji returned to the kitchen, draping himself over the clean counters while Patty screamed. "Last night was _o so magical_ ," he sighed. "He threatened my life then apologized for it. Revealed all his barest parts to my pitiful eyes – eyes which don't deserve living – and then demurely retreated to indicate that there's a possibility our forever is close by."

Carne's eyes narrowed with thought. "So…he's a Demon?"

"He could be! That's what makes this marvelous!"

"It would make sense, given that he's so repulsive," Patty said.

"I see," Sanji said, looking at them both. He grit his teeth. "Are you planning on stealing him away from me? Because I'll murder you first!"

"BRING IT ON!"

"All you guys, stuff a sock in it!" Zeff complained over their shouts. "So, he accepted your advances?"

"Not yet."

"But he knows what you are, and – "

"He was very encouraging in that I should keep on trying to change his mind."

"But there was no confirming answer whether or not he wants this attention?"

"He does," Sanji sighed again, resting his chin onto his folded hands. "Because I have something he wants."

"Then let's help him get it!" Patty snarled, him and Carne posing over him with knives.

"Let me get this straight from the horse's mouth, of course," Zeff said slowly. "Angels and Demons see things oppositely; Angels see love and peace, Demons love violence and destruction – "

"That's a common misconception," Sanji said, kicking the two aside to sit atop of the counter. Zeff kicked him off with a roar. "Angels are violent themselves – aggressive. Bullying, even. My true love ended up defended my honor against three of them yesterday – "

"He transformed?" Zeff asked curiously.

"Well…it's complicated," Sanji said carefully, "but he was able to ward them off. Those three wouldn't let up, even as I held myself back so my beauty's face or delicate body wouldn't be hurt."

"'Delicate'? Like your knee?" Patty asked Carne, who scoffed.

"So how are you able to do that, boy?" Zeff asked. "Hold yourself back? Demons are also aggressive in nature, right?"

"I'm a type of Demon called a 'Watcher' – it's a delicate word for stealth operations," Sanji explained. "No one will see me coming or going, nor will they be able to hear or sense me. Only when I want them too."

"Like a ninja? Can't you be that very same way as a human? I'm tired of seeing and hearing from you," Carne complained noisily.

"Like an _assassin_. Like your family," Zeff verified. Sanji shrugged as a response. "But your wings are clipped, so how are you able to do that?"

"I don't know, but I'm taking advantage of it."

"So…what do your wings look like now?" Patty asked curiously, looking at Sanji's back.

"You wanna see my dick, too?"

"NO!"

"How'd you clip 'em?" Zeff asked Sanji, Carne heading out into the front when the door chimed.

"Paid this sketchy guy in an alley shop to do it."

Zeff shook his head. " _Idiot_."

Sanji shrugged. "Gotta do what I gotta do. My family wouldn't help."

Before anything else could be said, Carne peeked in with an expression that suggested his soul had left him. "Your future husband is here."

Sanji scrambled out the doors before he could finish that sentence. Zeff and Patty looked at Carne with concern as the man held himself, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I pity that jerk. You just gotta pity really ugly people."

"Let's be nice," Zeff said gruffly, rising from his stool unsteadily. "I'm going to pour myself another. Who wants one?"

Meanwhile, Sanji was already pouring Law coffee, the man frowning sullenly at him as he took to a booth near the front. People were already giving them curious looks because his appearance, combined with Sanji's enthusiasm, was enough to draw attention. With his spotted black and white hat, plain brown trench coat, argyle sweater with bowtie, glasses and plain brown khakis, Law looked like he was in some type of pain. For a man his size, squished into too tight clothes with the buttons threatening strike, he had a surprisingly smooth entrance into his seat without the table cutting into his gut. But all Sanji saw was a gorgeous creature cosplaying as some type of nerd. He swore the man glittered.

Sanji straightened up from pouring him coffee, fist to mouth. "I must say, I'm this close to asking you to Big Bang me in our supply closet."

"The shit you say must impress other Demons, but you sound gross," Law told him in response, lip curled. "I didn't come here to be sexually harassed – "

"If you're looking for romance, I can do that kinky stuff, too," Sanji assured him. "Roleplay is fun. Where are your friends?"

"I wanted to be uninterrupted while I spoke with you."

"Still mad about yesterday? You can fight it all you want, but I won't be deterred."

"I did some research on you," Law started, picking up his coffee cup, "and I narrowed down the names of all back alley doctors in the city that ran their services through a black market listing. Only one of them has a history of failing his services due to his incompetence – Dr Hililuk. Is that name familiar?"

"Why?" Sanji asked, elbows on table while he looked at him dreamily. "Plan on finishing the job? I'd only allow you to experiment on me if only to feel your devotion through a botched repair job."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"To destroy me physically are pre-engagement words to me."

"Anyway, his work always failed – he wouldn't remove wings from the root, as is the usual – he sawed five inches above back skin. Allowing them a chance to grow back. All it would take is your own will to do so."

"You want me to revert back to my true form, baby? I probably can, all for you."

"I do," Law said pleasantly, lowering his cup to the table. Then his expression changed. "So I can take to my form and destroy you as an Angel and get rid of your simpering devotion!"

Sanji sputtered as he quickly clasped his hands to his nose, already gushing with strength.

"It's a private fantasy I've been holding close since last night's events," Law confessed slowly. "I haven't delved into the particulars of it, but it makes me somewhat happy."

"Please tell me more," Sanji begged, tilting his head back as the sight of him erupting into blood spurts caused customers to look over with shock.

"That way, I can also see what sort of Demon you truly are," Law finished. "It's odd that you claim Demon qualities but express Angel tendencies. Perhaps that doctor did a little tweaking of his own to create something out of his own amusement."

"I had those qualities long before that," Sanji said, stuffing paper napkins up his nostrils to staunch the blood flow. "Like I said, I'm weird."

"Then…could you consider yourself a shoulder devil?"

"Never heard of that."

"It's a very rare form…a combination of Angel and Demon with equal amounts of sides, but can be influenced depending on quality of life as determined by the person."

"Is that what you are?"

"Is that what interests you?" Law asked cautiously. "Because I assure you, you would not want to be my enemy."

"I already decided that I love you, so…"

"Stop saying stuff like that!"

"Tell me I'm wretched and undeserving!" Sanji begged, draping himself onto the table.

Law huffed, aware that they were drawing a spectacle of themselves. Red faced, he said stiffly, "Because your kind words are things I've never experienced before, I'm a mess as to how to respond to them properly. Having someone's love and devotion is unnatural, and I fear I might offend you with hurting your feelings."

Sanji straightened up with a face, revolted by the flowery words. Law was annoyed with how easy it was to manipulate the Demon – he thought there would at least be some resistance, but it was quite clear that Sanji was very obvious about his feelings; annoyed that they had showed right from the start.

"Ugh. _Fine_. I'll stop. It's not that any of that is anything interesting, other than your Demon side – I have no secret motives. I just fell in love with your delicious face and want to snuggle inside of your skin like it were a poncho."

"Being a rare form draws certain attention, and I also looked up who your family is," Law added, watching Sanji frown darkly.

"I'm not associated with them," he huffed.

"You had the nerve to admit that you needed to check out my background just to see who you were dealing with! When yours is blood thirsty for power!"

"I changed my last name, and trust me – they'd prefer not having any contact with me."

"The only real reason I'm expressing interest in this is only because you display a confusing set of qualities that I want to better understand," Law said slowly.

"Well, every Demon has a quirk, right? Some of us get off on violence and ugly things, some of us secretly hoard things like romance and violation fantasies."

Disappointed, Law regarded his coffee with a contemplative expression before saying low, "Then it appears I'll have to remove you from this existence now that you know what I am."

Sanji brightened, flailing with joy. "I don't know why you're hiding it, but whatever makes you happy, my love!"

"It's not that I'm afraid," Law amended quickly, "it's just that I have no typical response like the rest of you do. You sense an Angel, you'd want to kill or avoid it, right? If they sense a Demon, they want to fight. I feel neither of those – I feel no ultimate desire to express myself in my true form to let anyone know I exist. It leaves me in a particular quandary."

Sanji shrugged, refilling his cup. "Test the waters, then. Maybe only then you'd understand why for yourself once you get into some type of confrontation."

"Both sides are eager for a confrontation but I can't find myself agreeing to exactly _why_ I would."

"How pitiful."

Both of their heads snapped up at the sound of the voice, looking over to a single table nearby. The man was bent over some cake and tea, wearing a loose hoodie and beanie against the cool weather air. His skinny jeans were artfully ripped and mangled with various designs.

"A rare breed, and he doesn't know what to do with it," the man continued with a smirk.

"Hey, keep your admiration to yourself!" Sanji snapped at him, in business mode now that he was distracted from his lovely. "Neither of us invited your damn opinion!"

"I didn't ask to be invited," the man said. "I decided to speak up. I grew bored listening to this idiotic exchange. Vinsmoke Sanji, how humiliated your father must feel, spawning something like you. And Trafalgar Law, it's revolting how those two coddled you so much that none of their Demonly instincts influenced you."

"Who the hell are you?" Sanji demanded incredulously, slamming his coffee pot onto the table.

"I'm insulted."

"He's a god," Law answered, sipping at his coffee. "How sad of him to lower himself to the streets in an effort to find some sort of mental stimulation."

"You know him?" Sanji cried, hand to his chest. "How could you be noticing other men in front of me?"

"SHUT UP!"

The man chuckled, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "At least someone recognizes me. I'd have to go talk with those two if you hadn't. Now, stand aside, screechy Demon. I'd like to talk to the shoulder devil in private."

"Anything directed to him should be run by me, first," Sanji snapped at him. "I am his _wife_ , and only I can approve of these things."

"Nothing you'd have to say would be relevant to me, anyway," Law interrupted Sanji, trying to ignore his comment. "Enel. Your ego refuses cooperation from those that are lesser level than a god's."

Enel chuckled, giving a pleased smile. "I'm glad you recognize that. It's not about cooperation. When I first saw you past your disgusting Glamour, I recognized your other forms right off. It was intriguing. Two in one – what sort of power would you have?"

"It's not something I'd want to share with anyone else until I know myself."

"What better way to find out than a confrontation?"

"Giving you that satisfaction would only please you, and bore me. I'm not interested. You can do anything you want – all I'll do is walk away."

"Really?" Enel asked, curious at the true strength of his indifference. Sanji planted himself right between them, making it difficult for either to see each other without having to lean to do so.

"You'll not pull any shit in the old man's shop," Sanji warned, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "I don't give a fuck if you're a god – whatever interest you have in my bride to be, you'll just have to settle with not knowing until he's ready."

"Demon, don't you have better things to do?" Enel complained. "This is a conversation between men."

"You dare question my heady male pheromones? Then how about I show them off as I kick you the hell out of here?"

Enel smirked, settling back into his chair while sipping at his tea. " _Please_. No Demon has the ability to match a god's strength. Even a Vinsmoke Watcher. Normally, your role is to take orders and not get involved, right? No wonder you're a failure."

"No one is fighting in here," Zeff said firmly as he suddenly appeared on the other side of the table, startling the pair. "Dear customer – if you have some type of trouble with our waiter, you may submit a written complaint. If you continue to find dissatisfaction with the place, then you may get the fuck up and leave. But I'll have you leave the other customers alone."

"I have no problem with that," Enel said, replacing his cup carefully on the table. He rubbed at his head – Sanji realized with some admiration that the dangling ropes hanging from his sweater hood were actually his own earlobes, decorated with hoops and diamonds. Enel looked to Law with a lazy lean of his chair. "I'll wait for you outside."

With that, he set down a twenty dollar bill and left, tugging out a cigarette from his pants. Law watched him sit down onto a bus bench nearby, and gave an irritated sigh.

"You can leave through the back," Sanji offered as Zeff cleaned up Enel's table. "Don't bother with that guy."

"A god, huh?" Zeff mumbled. "Well, that explains it all. We were all certain it was just one of your dumb Demon fetishes."

"You have some knowledge about this type of thing, Gandelf?" Sanji asked curiously as Law found his wallet to count out exact change.

"I'm an old _man_ , not a wizard!"

"I guess this is it," Law mumbled to himself. He looked at the photo of Bepo fondly, Sanji turning and catching him doing it. The coffee pot cracked as he slammed it down, jealousy swarming through him hotly. "I suppose any answer is a good answer."

"You don't have to prove anything to anybody if you aren't ready to, just yet!" Sanji protested as he pulled him out from the booth, causing some pity expressions from the customers watching. Law slapped his hand away out of humiliation, straightening his clothes.

"Do you even know how to fight?" Sanji then asked cautiously, Zeff looking up with trepidation. The old man felt so sorry for Mega Mountain if the nerd thought he had a chance against a _god_ – it surely would be a terrible battle to witness.

"Maybe don't do this here," Zeff interrupted, reaching out to stop Law with a hand to his shoulder. "It will depress us if you went out to fight some man in your condition."

"My 'condition'?" Law then remembered the Glamour. He rolled his eyes as he pulled away from Zeff's grasp. "I'm not afraid of anything – why should I be? Women were the only things to intimidate me, until that Nami person came along. Besides, I've played enough video games to know exactly what I should do in a street fight. I just have to double A and left left until I achieve a knockout."

Sanji clung to his legs with a wild cry, almost causing him to trip into another booth. Those customers reacted with a startled action, holding their food out of reach as Law straightened himself up.

"GET OFF!"

"I can't let the only love of my life get hurt this way! _Please_! Let me take on the battle! I can do this!"

"You're a simple human, I don't need your help," Law grumbled, struggling to walk with the added weight. "I've encountered enough police and military force for a five star APP and evaded successfully. How hard can it be?"

"I'm begging you! Let me die for you!"

"There will be no _dying_ in front of my shop!" Zeff shouted with horror.

"It's…not…that…hard…to…scream and…wave…my arms about…like Doffy," Law grunted with each step, Sanji dragging on his legs. He reached out for the door, Sanji pulling back on him with desperate sobs.

"Oh boy," Zeff muttered to himself.

"Some Demon you are," Law snapped, finally managing to push Sanji off. "If I were you, I'd be giddy with joy to know that someone was dying right in front of me."

"I know, but the thought of not seeing your beautiful face makes me sad! There's no other face like it!" Sanji sniffled, reaching out to pat his face. "Make sure _this_ doesn't get destroyed – I can shave your skin right off and make a stuffed doll out of you – "

Law shoved him away and walked out from the café. Adjusting his glasses, he then removed them to put them into his jacket pocket. To everyone in the street, they all saw an uncomfortably heavy man in too tight clothes, facing off with a punk. They assumed some sort of comical confrontation was occurring, so more than a few paused in mid action to see what was happening.

"So," he said indifferently, "what's in it for you?"

"It's rare to come across an individual like you, and it gets boring with the life of a god, having no real opponent to test himself against," Enel said slowly, standing up with his hands in his pockets. "I'm here to either put you down and take your head back to your guardians for a laugh, or leave it at Doflamingo's plastic surgeons' office."

"If you should be successful," Law said, "I'd prefer that you offer them a scavenger hunt. They get a little bored themselves."

" _NO_!" Sanji screamed from behind the doors. "Just give it to me!"

Enel glanced in his direction with a dismissive glance before looking at Law. Seeing his relaxed posture made him scoff. He did not see him as everyone else did – what he saw was a tall, lanky man with eyes rimmed from hours of playing too many video games, an indifferent slope of shoulders, absurdly ridiculous clothing and a shiny Apple watch that would look better on _his_ wrist.

 _Did those two not prepare him for such a day_? he thought flippantly of Doflamingo and Corazon. _When their baby chick should be flung from his nest by an intrusive predator looking for an easy meal_?

"It's been awhile since I had a meal," he said slowly. "I will cook you medium rare, and finish with another dessert from this café."

"I don't care what you do, really," Law answered.

"We shall see!" Enel shouted, transforming as lighting burst forth from his hands. He took on his godly form, a constantly moving ball of lightening that blew away the street's flora and scorched buildings and street. Centered upon this ball was an armored faceplate with burn marks around the edges, the eyes curved into laughing form and the lips stapled together in a straight line. The ear piercing whine of his powers had more than one person slamming their hands over their ears, subjected to intense alarm. People scattered.

"In all my years, I have never been defeated!" he shouted, his voice a high-pitched boom of sound in Law's ears. All those on the streets heard was the constantly shifting waves of his powers as it condensed into a tighter ball. From underneath it emerged five different arms, all in a state of burned decay. But the hands opened wide, lightening arching over all of them to present a brilliant show of light and strength.

Law studied him for a few moments, determining where to strike first. As Enel darted up into the air stories above him, he noticed that the ball of energy that made up his form moved constantly, but his faceplate remained static in the center, placed feet away from his body.

"I see," he said calmly, removing his hat and tossing it behind him. He shifted into his form, reaching behind him.

Enel laughed at the sight of his combined form, unimpressed with what he saw. But he did see the sword that the shoulder devil pulled from its spine, and paused to study it. It was of ridiculously long length, shimmering with both Demonic and Angel energy in waves across the blade. It made a sharp squealing sound, like metal upon metal once on display. Before he could determine how Law would actually use the thing, Law's fingers made a lifting motion with one set of hands then cut up and then diagonal with the others.

It took a moment, watching Law replace his sword, before Enel realized where he'd cut.

His lightening fizzled then died, his hands falling first.

" _WHAT_?" his faceplate screamed as it fell dead weight towards the street.

"Disappointing," Law commented with his half frowning, half smiling face. "As a god, shouldn't you have made this more challenging?"

Enel reverted back to human form before he could slam against the pavement, but his hands went to his neck. Blood spurted out in rushing strength, staining his clothes and the street. He gaped at the titan standing before him, losing his balance.

"All I did was interrupt the static energy that held your face in place with your body, then cut to separate you from each other. So…what should I do with _your_ head?" Law asked, resuming his human form, hands sliding back into his pockets.

"NO! NO NO NO NO _It's not that easy_!" Enel gasped, crazed with upset. His arms sizzled back to life, the arms dropped onto the street suddenly lifting up. They stood in a fan-like row behind him, energy crackling to life from the severed forearms and roping up towards the fingers.

He saw Law squint at the sight, mouthing what looked like numbers to himself before taking on his form once more. Enel fired off streams from his bloodied hands, the titan evading with a jump. He swore Law was muttering, "Jump, jump, pivot right, A, left trigger," but he wasn't sure.

The sword made its reappearance, slicing through the air several times. The arms behind Enel began to collapse helplessly, energy crackling noisily as it collided with each other. It produced a series of explosions that rattled windows and shook buildings – but the titan was suddenly pointing his sword at him before swiping upward, the second pair of hands stretching out wide, as if opening something.

Law watched Enel fall to pieces before sheathing his sword. The quiet that had settled over the street was loud, the air strong with the smell of ozone. He reverted back to human form, exhaling slowly.

"I should have pivoted left," he muttered to himself, looking down at his charred and ripped sleeve, which displayed blackened skin and a slowly oozing wound. He flexed his hand experimentally, then looked up when Sanji burst out from the café.

"My _glorious_ graceful Venus trap of obsession! You're still alive! How easy that was for you!"

"Touch me and live until 150 without knowing the touch of another human again," Law threatened as Sanji made to hug him. Sanji ignored him and glomped him from the neck.

"Let's make children on this very street, atop of his fallen pieces!"

"This was a disappointment!" Law exclaimed, easily throwing him off, walking over him to examine what was left of Enel. "He was a god that lived for hundreds of years and gave me nothing more than a light surface burn!"

"Well, you wanted to see what you were capable of," Sanji said slowly. "Fortunately or unfortunately, not many were able to see what happened. You guys disappeared right after you starting talking about drawing an 'aggro'."

"Ah, yes, I was wondering if he'd attack the non-player characters running about. They were able to see him as human wielding all that power, but – "

"I don't understand half the shit words you're using. I don't care what I just watched, I'll still knock your head from your shoulders if I find out you're using video game terms," Sanji threatened him.

Despite the power display he'd just shown, Law didn't want to be slapped. That weird feeling was back in place, confusing him. He'd just talked down on a god, yet he couldn't handle a little threatening from a wingless Demon? He unconsciously clutched at his sweater vest to hide the tremor in his hands.

As baffled as he was to this weird behavior, he heard Sanji say, "I saw everything! My heart will sleep happily knowing I was drawn in to love such a powerful being! I can suck off on your blood knowing that sharing it will give me reassurance in a long life span with you!"

"I'm going to go get a band-aid," Law said, gesturing at his arm. "Then I have to go. I promised the guys I'd meet them for pizza before we settled down for the evening for a Fortnite thing. So…"

Sanji paused in mid-fluttering, then looked after him incredulously as he walked off, clutching his arm. He had to find out who invented this horrible waste of time – once he found them, he would make their deaths messy. Maybe even video himself and send it to their families, with the threat of doing the same to others that tried to make another. He turned and walked back to the café, slamming the door open.

"I was _ignored_!" he declared. "For a fucking video game!"

The women looked at him with sympathy, knowing exactly how it felt.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Pretty damn sure I avoided all angsty and griefy bits I usually put into my fics in this story, so never take it seriously. It's not meant for that.

 **Naghi-Tan** : Oh man, I get that aspect BUT it gets boring when it's played for hours and I wanna do something. D: I used to play Halo and all SH games without any outside interaction for hours, but I know my limits. He is strong! But how strong, and how long does he want that title? I pity the cooks and Zeff for the dramatic whirlwind in their faces day to day lol

 **Fyoyaran** : He's a handful lol but since I rarely write him with his love dramatics, this is fun! Zeff and the cooks are human – gotta mix it up a bit. Law's just very lost and confused because his sides don't dictate him like they would with everyone else, so he's got to do a little soul searching. ;D Oh, they will meet again!

 **Harmonica Smile** : Sanji's a nut, but good thing Law is too indifferent to his antics to drive him away! haha! Especially after this chapter!

 _ **Chapter Eight**_

* * *

His friends were so cute – Law wasn't sure if that was his Demon side talking, or his Angel side. In society, they were the rejects and the outcasts with their clumsy way of interacting and general failures of fitting in. They were smart, unapologetically nerdy and they made Law feel accepted and flawless. When he'd first ventured out into the 'human world', he was struggling with both of his sides because each of them was very demanding. As a result, he was difficult to talk to – because if he wasn't threatening or desiring death and violence, he was overly charming and overwhelmingly positive. Corazon's Glamour didn't help any, either. Penguin and the others had cautiously approached him one morning after class to invite him to a gaming session after seeing him express interest in 'Overwatch'. Their personalities made it easy for him to settle his sides; their ambiance made it possible for him to attain a sort of indifference they found interesting themselves; somehow, he fit in and somehow they accepted him.

As time went by, he found himself thinking affectionately of them as pets – even if they thought he was an ugly motherfucker they still thought fondly of him, so his Demon side enjoyed that. When they stood up for him and invited him, his Angel side appreciated it. So it became no question when he decided he would decidedly die for them in a way that was more reserved for pet owners' devotion than any other kinship available.

Surrounded by them at Shachi's house, Law hid his bandaged wound with his jacket and visited normally. Focused on the game and the additional company with it, Law had one thought on the situation that happened: " _Dull_."

He wondered how his life was going to change with his revelation. He supposed other challengers would ride in to have a hand at things, but he wondered if they would be as easily handled as he had with Enel. Enel was a _god_ , a warrior mightier than Angels and Demons, and Law had taken less than five minutes with him.

 _Is that what life is_? he wondered, vaguely listening to the others around them. _Senselessly easy_?

"So, Law," Penguin said slowly, when they were in a lull and sucking down snacks and chips before the battle bus could take off with their characters, "what do you think about this thing with Sanji?"

Law felt a scowl pull at his lips. "What about him?"

"I mean…does it make you feel weird to know that a guy's attracted to you?" Penguin said cautiously, looking at his heavy set friend with unease. "I mean…"

Law thought about it, blinking behind his glasses. "It's weird because he's so aggressive."

"Is that it?"

"It's weird overall."

"Well, maybe you should tell him you aren't interested."

"I have. Dozens of times. I even threatened to disembowel him, and I realize I'm going about it the wrong way because he took that as an invitation."

"That's a Demon thing though, is it?" Hudson asked through a mouthful of chips. "They're attracted to ugly people and threats of death."

"I'm sure if you did things differently, Hudson wouldn't think you're ugly," Penguin said reassuringly.

"I'm sorry, man, it's just…"

"No, it's okay, I'm hideous."

"Well, maybe you should consider it if finding a wife isn't working," Ptarmigan said tentatively.

Law looked at him. "Would you?"

"…No."

"Then why should I? Besides, yes, as a Demon he's terribly attracted to my…" Law trailed off. Now that he'd taken down a god, he should be truthful. Everyone looked at him with question, not understanding why he'd trailed off. But would things change? Would he lose this easy comradery for something where humans suddenly looked at him differently and decided that since he was a person of power, they'd be afraid of him?

Suddenly he felt reluctant to say anything. If he told them he had some god-like powers, would they still want to be his friend?

"…words," he finished lamely, furrowing his brow.

"Those guys suggested you were an Angel," Hudson reminded him, reaching for a liter of soda. Law had forgotten about that part. "The way they just walked away said a lot."

 _Damn_ , Law thought bitterly.

"I…I am," he said carefully, looking at the controller in his hands. "But I am also a Demon."

The weight of their stares made him nervous.

"I didn't want to say anything because I don't understand myself just yet," he mumbled. "But it has come to the attention of others already, which was why I was late today."

"How is that possible?" Jean Bart asked curiously. "You can't be both."

"I am. This Glamour I am wearing, it is Corazon's because my conflicting personalities made it difficult for myself to wear one of my own making. A god was able to see right through it, and he challenged me, today."

The silence was heavy. Once he was eliminated, Law lowered his controller with an uneasy frown. "I won," he supplied awkwardly. "It was much too easy."

The others stared at him, unable to come up with anything.

Considering their silence, Law looked at them cautiously. "Will this be a problem?"

"Never heard of someone who is both," Penguin muttered uncomfortably.

" _So_ ," Shachi interrupted, looking at him from the side of his eye, "what do you really look like?"

"Yeah! Show us!" Hudson encouraged, all of them looking at him with interest.

"Would it matter?" Law asked, still frowning. "I'd feel uncomfortable with that. I may as well as strip down naked in front of you."

" _Please_ don't," Penguin begged.

"Angels look like armored tanks, and Demons look like stuff from nightmares, so if you're both of them combined, you'd look like both, right?" Ptarmigan asked, adjusting his glasses.

"…Yes. But the biggest concern I have right now is that since a god was able to see through it, and I'd finally revealed myself that there could be more approaching me upon their interest," Law said slowly. "I can get away as a normal human when I combine myself, and attract both Angels and Demons if I should allow it so. Based upon that, would all of you, as humans, be terrified of the attention?"

"It is a concern," Penguin said cautiously, scratching at his head. "Things happen so fast, and… _we're_ not fast, so…"

"We could be killed in some type of crossfire," Jean Beart said uncomfortably.

"Or used as bait," Shachi realized.

"I'd understand if you'd rather not be associated with me," Law said, clearing his throat, finding the idea distressing. "Perhaps it would be of your best interests – "

"So, wait," Hudson interrupted, "if you're using Corazon's Glamour, then what does your human form look like?"

"You're _allowing_ yourself to be this ugly?" Ptarmigan asked incredulously. "After all the efforts into finding a lady, this is something you did willingly?"

"I have to fit in."

" _Why_?" Penguin interrupted all that. "If you have all this power, why fit in with the rest of the humans when you could be living life grandly as a sort of god?"

"Because I didn't know what I wanted. I had all this power, but no desire for a lifestyle like that. I wanted to fit in and be accepted."

"So you willingly dumbed your appearance down and chose the rest of us to 'fit in'? We don't even fit in with people ourselves!"

"Because I already lived that lifestyle with those two, I wanted another quality of life, and this is sufficient."

"This is the life you want to live?" Penguin pressed. "You want to be rejected in society, living a lie?"

"I think you're taking it out of proportion," Shachi said to him.

"If you had the ability to live better than this, then it doesn't make sense to lower all that just to fit in with us! It's almost like you're mocking us."

"It doesn't feel that way," Jean Bart interrupted. "If he wants to live a life that feels comfortable for him, then why not?"

"Because he surrounded himself with easy pieces of bait!" Penguin exclaimed. "If something bigger than either Angel or Demon decides to mess with him, who do you think is going to be targeted first? Demons can't walk around without causing some type of chaos, and Angels go around Saving people by making them better – so what did you intend to do with us?"

At the heavy silence, Law felt uncomfortable. He could see what Penguin was saying, so it hurt to know that they felt this way. He rose from the chair, grabbing his phone. "I apologize for your discomfort. I understand what you are saying."

"Well, _wait_ , Law - !" Shachi rose to stop him, but Law left the house quickly. Once the door shut, he turned to pin Penguin with a glare. "You feel good about yourself, now?"

"I'm just saying! These are things we have to keep in mind!" Penguin exclaimed. "We're just normal humans, we don't have abilities to protect ourselves if we get caught up in some battle that comes to him!"

"We do have ability! We have the will and might to run away, flee like rats! That's enough!"

"That's not enough!"

"He chose us to befriend, guys, what's the problem?" Hudson spoke up loudly. "He fit in with us because he found comfort in that, and you made him uncomfortable!"

"He makes _me_ uncomfortable! He has a Demon that's in love with him, a god that challenged him – a god! A GOD THAT CAN DESTROY CITIES, why aren't you understanding that?"

"We get it, but he could've been swimming in ladies and good fortune, but he chose us because obviously he has a complex!"

"And what happens when he's gets comfortable revealing himself to others? What's going to happen to us after that?"

At the silence that fell, all of them considered this. After some moments, Jean Bart said, "He's still a friend."

"He can find new friends now," Penguin grumbled, glaring at his controller. "Friends with bigger powers. Friends that won't die in the line of some dumb battle."

"You're being an ass."

"I'm scared! All right? I admit it!"

"We can be scared," Ptarmigan said cautiously, "but I bet he's more so because it took a lot for him to say something. He had all this time to brag about it like the others do, but he didn't. He didn't try to make himself better than any of us, he didn't flash his abilities around until that one day, when those Angels confronted Sanji. It makes sense, now, the things he did and I think he has a rough time deciding. Should he be a Demon, or an Angel? I bet he was pressured to feel one way or another the same way we were pressured in our career goals. And he could have had anything he wanted, but he went about it the same way as us."

"If we're with him when someone decides to challenge him, what's going to happen to us? Angels and Demons have powers that humans can't defend against, and we can easily die," Penguin said carefully. "And do any of those guys feel the need to protect humans when they're attacking each other? Angels hit hard and fast without any regard to humans around them, and Demons are known to use whatever's necessary as ammunition, so if Law chose to fight as either, we'd either be used as bait or cover. So…which is it you guys want to suffer your last moments as?"

"Sanji," Shachi spoke up loudly, "said he clipped his wings because innocent people were hurt during his last battle."

"Sanji's a weird exception!"

"And was there any warning set out when a god supposedly battled Law earlier? I didn't get any notifications."

At that, they all looked at their phone. The city often released a warning once it was apparent a battle was taking place, and none of them had received a notification that there was a battle present. In fact, news reports were reporting on Enel's death in a surprise battle that left no casualties or heavy damage. Reporters were left in the dark as to what had occurred, with witnesses unable to report anything beforehand.

Shachi locked his phone, retrieving his jacket. "Well, buddy – you can sit here and be scared, but I'm going to go ask some questions. I think our friend needs us."

"What are you going to do?" Penguin asked sullenly.

"I'm going to ask Sanji some stuff– this happened right outside the café. So I'll get it straight from the Demon's mouth what he thinks."

"What was Law doing there if this thing with Sanji was 'weird?" Jean Bart asked, following after him.

"He lied to us! He said he was going to run an errand for Corazon!" Hudson complained, snatching his jacket and hurrying after them.

After they left, Ptarmigan looked at Penguin. "Well?"

"…Whatever…"

: :

Sanji snarled once the three entered the café. "Kitchen is closed!"

"This isn't about food," Shachi said, sitting at the counter while the other two hesitated. There were women enjoying salads, soups and dessert, a few of their male counterparts looking grumpy. "It's about Law."

For a moment, Sanji's glare weakened but he turned it to the counter he was listlessly wiping. Snatching onto that, Shachi said, "So he came out to us – "

Sanji's expression turned downright demonic. "He would release his personal secrets to you but not to me, the love of his life?"

Jean Bart controlled his expression at that declaration, but Hudson looked very skeptical about it.

"As what he truly is," Shachi corrected, Sanji resuming his scowl once more. "But some trouble happened, so what happened here?"

"What kinda trouble? I will slaughter anyone that made him feel any negative emotions, because it should be me doing all that."

"The news don't know what happened to Enel, God of Lightening – and that stuff happened here, so what happened? Unfortunately, some members of our group weren't very comfortable with Law revealing himself – " Shachi trailed off as Sanji rubbed his hands like he'd just earned a victory.

"This is my moment," he heard the former Demon mutter, "to reverse the prostate examination to the examiner!"

Shachi cleared his throat noisily, causing Sanji to look at him once more.

"So what can we now expect of our friend?"

"Why that dumb ass question? Expect to be used as bait and ammunition! He can throw your dumb, weak video game playing bodies at an attacking Angel or suck the lifeblood from you to gain energy as a Demon!"

"So what made _you_ decide that human lives were valuable enough to clip your wings?" Shachi asked despite releasing a small shiver in the glee Sanji expressed.

Sanji scowled.

"Demons aren't supposed to feel any empathy, so why did you?"

"None of your business."

"Which makes us think that since Law is both," Jean Bart added, "then he'd have trouble deciding a side. Which would make it difficult for him to do the normal things any side would have no trouble unleashing."

Sanji sighed noisily. "So you're asking me what happened on the grounds of the observation being your deciding factor in retaining the friendship?"

"Exactly!"

" _Losers_! You don't deserve him like I do! Get the hell out of my space with your second-guessing! Your loyalty sucks!"

"Either way," Shachi said with a nervous look at Hudson, "I want to prove to the others that our lives won't be in any danger if we continued being friends with him. I'm all prepared for the change in lifestyle, but – "

"If any pussy decides he can't stand the heat of the fire, then he shouldn't be in the kitchen!" Sanji huffed. "There should be no excuses for that cowardice! But I admit that your abandonment will make it easier for me to make him my bride."

"With all due respect, Demon sir, I'm pretty sure _you'd_ be the bride. That's the BL rules," Hudson interrupted, causing his friends to look at him with questioning expressions. "The shorter of the two is always the receiver."

He received the rag to the face as Sanji threw it at him, reddening. "What do you know about 'rules'? You know nothing! Sit in your corner and think about what you just said to me! I am not afraid to demonstrate my _giving_ strength to any man that questions them!"

" _Please don't!_ I believe you!"

"What do you know about 'BL'?" Shachi whispered to Hudson as he removed the rag, gagging.

"What's 'BL'?" Jean Bart asked with a puzzled expression.

"The news reports say there were no human casualties or destruction," Shachi interrupted, "so how did that happen? Enel, the God of Lightening, is as destructive as they come. Law said he finished him easily – "

"Like poetry in motion!' Sanji sighed dreamily.

"And this street is pretty busy," Shachi added, "so I figured he was either very careful about his actions or – "

"Oh, is that it?" Sanji scoffed. "You wanna know if he's willing to save civilians, he's willing to save you, too?"

"On the nose! I'm willing to think that he sees a battle mainly as something from a video game, most likely Destiny with how chaotic a battle can be – "

"You think this is a game? Video games are nothing compared to a real battle! Don't you ever say such shit in front of my face again! You know how I feel about it!"

"But of course he'd think that way!" Shachi exclaimed, fist in hand. "Hours upon hours of gaming gave him the battle experience, but it makes sense that he'd lack it physically! He usually goes against his guardians' wishes to follow in their footsteps about participating in training, anyway – "

"Why is it you people know more of his family than I?" Sanji asked with a snarl.

"He was truthful about that first hand. But because he didn't declare himself as Demon or Angel, we weren't in any fear, then. Some of us are, now."

"This doesn't give you any advantage over me," Sanji warned them, pointing at them in turn. "Once I am able, I will brutally take him off the market and kill anyone that tries to change his opinion. So it makes sense that all of you should quit clinging to him now before I get upset."

Shachi studied him for a few moments, then steepled his fingers together with a serious expression. "What if I told you I could help you woo him?"

" _Shachi_!" Hudson cried.

"This is not what we came here for," Jean Bart said.

Sanji considered Shachi's offer, then leaned an elbow onto the counter. He stroked his lightly hair chin with consideration. "I'm listening…"

"For every bit of information I give you, you answer my question in return."

" _Fine_."

"He loves greeting cards; the sappier, the better. Did he protect the humans in this battle?"

"Ugh, _how vile_ …he drew in Enel's attention to himself only, and made sure no damage came to them."

"He hates chocolate but loves salty things. Did he express bloodthirst or lust as he battled Enel?"

"I have something salty he can enjoy! No, just indifference. _Maddening_ indifference," Sanji answered, frowning as the trio tried to ignore his first comment. But really, all Sanji was thinking of his saltiest dishes and moods, for once not thinking with his dick. "Like it didn't matter what the outcome was, he just wanted to know what he was capable of. If he died, he died, if he won, he won. He didn't celebrate either or even showed the minimal of expression of what he felt about it! He ignored me for you guys."

"He has origins from Germany, but isn't a beer fan. He's extremely punctual and counts off numbers thumb first. He loves karaoke but prefers sad songs over happy songs. Does his Demon side run stronger than his Angel side? Why are you obsessed with him if he has Angel tendencies? And what can we expect now that Enel was defeated by him?"

"They're equal. Because he's hot. More challengers – Angels will be drawn to his Demonistic qualities while Demons will be attracted to his shy, Angel side – but he can control them both to come off as perfectly human, which is why none of us can sense him. He can allow it if it suits him," Sanji said with a huff. "Which means he can walk in a crowd of Demons or Angels without any of them sensing what he truly is. A god can see past a Glamour, which is how Enel pinpointed him, so it makes sense that other gods would challenge him."

"His favorite color is yellow. So, considering all of this, would we be safe in his presence if harm came to us?"

" _Duh_. With how ugly you guys are, he probably thinks you're something he feels he needs to protect," Sanji muttered bitterly as he touched his hair. "Probably thinks of you like goddamn pets, like his goddamn wretched dog."

"Well, that convinces me!" Shachi decided. "If those other two don't feel safe, then that's on them. But he's still my friend."

"Bepo is so cute!" Hudson said merrily. "With how he treats him, we'd probably be treated to the same behavior."

" _Sickening_!"

"What's BL?"

"Are you done wasting my time?"

"Sanji, so I was curious," Shachi said, folding his arms on the counter, "could you revert back to your Demon form? Isn't it suggested that those with their wings clipped could do that?"

"Why would I want to?" Sanji asked impatiently.

"Wouldn't doing that appeal to Law's Demon side?"

"But it would also invite his Angel side to attack me, so I would have to lovingly kill him. So you see, it wouldn't work."

"I see. Got it. Okay, thanks, Sanji! Oh, by the way," Shachi added, leaning in close to whisper, "his favorite rom-com is Shallow Hal."

"I absolutely _hate_ that movie."

"Think about it." Shachi tapped his forehead and walked off with the others as Hudson explained what 'BL' was to Jean Bart. Sanji scowled after them, considering Shachi's word of advice.

Then he withdrew his cellphone and invited Law over to his apartment for some 'comforting'.

: :

Law ignored that text and slumped down onto his bed, Bepo licking his head with anxious whines. He felt upset with his friends' reactions – the same feeling one would have if an animal rejected an outstretched hand for petting. But he understood why it happened as well – he knew that the others wouldn't feel comfortable being around him now that he was this creature to the streets. Of course it was inviting trouble from unknown possibilities – if Enel could identify him that easily, then it went to say that other gods would be interested as well.

But he couldn't help but sniffle lightly, thinking how he would have to change his routine without the others to look forward to. He sneezed instead, removing dog fur from his upper lip and nose.

The knock at his door drew a scowl to his face.

"Why is the crocodile god demanding dinner with you as the main dish?" Doflamingo asked against the doorframe. Moments later, his claws appeared at the bottom, curling upward to tap on the door from the outside, black smoke wafting up through the same space. "Usually I'm all for a savage mauling, but he's requested that you appear personally. Along with the Medusa goddess, the sword god, the alcohol god, and – "

"This means nothing to me. I don't need to answer to anyone."

"That's the spirit! Reject all of society and preppy cliques for a lifetime of solitude! Trust me, that sort of thing gets old – "

"I'm not interested. Go away."

"Aw, what's wrong, little pet - I mean, son? Did we have our first lesson in understanding what possessing true power means? Did society reject you again? Come outside so you can share with me your feelings…"

"I'm fine right here."

"I refuse to step foot in there to administer manly comfort."

"Good!"

"CORA! He's shutting himself away again!"

"No! Please! After the last time, he opened his room up to have all those ill colored things on the walls!"

"I knew this would happen," Law muttered, sitting at the edge of the bed with Bepo crawling onto his lap so he could pet him. "I knew that my friends would want nothing of me."

" _Use_ this, Law," Doflamingo crowed from behind the door. "Human society will continue to reject you like the wretch that you are! They only want to fear you – there is no point affording them any empathy from this point forward!"

"As much as I hate to, I agree with him," Corazon's voice said up against the door, "humans are such fragile, scared and sensitive things, Law. Anything you do, considering your position, would be both rejected and embraced from them! They don't know what they want, all they know is whether or not _they're_ safe. And around you, right now with everyone's interest up, they won't be safe."

"I didn't want things to come to this," Law muttered. "I didn't want to be drawn into these stupid lines."

"But you have," Doflamingo said, his voice vibrating against the door. Law could picture them with their mouths directly on the wood, causing his eyes to roll. He imagined that the Demons were awkwardly pressed together to fit against the door to be heard, nudging and shoving each other for space. "So now it's time to engage! Time to create a path of yourself in this miserable swarm of power and control!"

"I don't want to," Law complained. "I don't want labels, I don't want motive – I just want to _live_ my life without troublesome things interfering."

"…This is your fault, Cora. He lacks motivation."

"It's those video games! The Angels created them just for this purpose!"

"Law! Stop playing video games! They're destroying you from the inside out! Years ago, _my_ generation never had a problem with the lack of motivation, we knew what we wanted!"

"We should go upon the city and destroy it from the inside, destroy the concept of video games," Corazon suggested.

"It sounds about time."

Law quickly rose from the bed, Bepo catching himself before he could tumble. Opening the door just in time to see the two Demons pull their hellish faces away from each other, he snapped, "Destroying the city isn't always the answer! It'd solve nothing but create more pain and headaches for you two once the video game world goes underground to avoid social recognition, but allowing us a chance to play secretively from the shadows! It'd be like the Prohibition, only worse!"

"Oh the Prohibition was bad," Corazon fretted.

Doflamingo clenched his claws tightly. "Then it sounds like we should destroy all humans! Make this a Demon world only!"

"That'd be impossible, because Angels would put a stop to that."

"Then we fight Angels for the final time! _All_ of them! Who's with me?"

"Just to stop me from playing video games?" Law asked with a flat tone. "Ridiculous. It isn't video games that have influenced my decisions. It's for the fact that I pledge allegiance to neither side!"

"We're saying these things because it's easiest," Doflamingo said impatiently. "Because this nonsense you're sprouting about your indecision makes my brain hurt. I cannot frown, you know."

"Because I have no allegiance to either side, I have no want to lean to either side," Law insisted, standing between them with a thoughtful expression. He'd taken off his Glamour, so he was now a lanky man with a slouch, his tattooed hands visible as he fiddled with his goatee. "Therefore, I am unmotivated to touch down onto either side when it comes to any ambition. All I want to do is play video games, eat out with my friends and search for an understanding wife."

" _Still_?" Doflamingo cried.

"Law," Corazon said gently, bending low to look at him, "why don't you consider Sanji? He is a rather nice Demon boy – "

"I'm not interested in that fool! He's embarrassing!"

"My minions have nothing but nice things to say about him! He kicks the homeless, he curses at old men, he talks back to authority, he scares the bejesus out of small children – plus animals hate him, which makes him a nice Demon in my book."

"NO!"

"Cora, I agree with him," Doflamingo interrupted. "Have you see the way he dresses? _Fashionably_ , blegh. Plus he appeals to human females, and it's been proven he's willing to give up his soul for one he loves. This isn't acceptable. Those are too honorable traits."

"He isn't ugly, either," Corazon had to agree. "He's not even wearing a Glamour. His looks tend to appeal to humans in such a way that it invites too much indifference. If only he were more detestable."

"But he's a _man_ ," Law stressed.

"Homosexuality is a _plus_ in the Demon world!" Corazon cried grandly. "If it goes against God, then it is in for sin!"

"The most deplorable of all human traits in one!"

"We'd be so delighted if you would take a man as bride!"

"It'd make up for this lack of motivation!"

"You guys are idiots," Law muttered bitterly.

"Cora, he's flattering us again."

"I feel so happy!"

"Well, he might be my only friend for now, since he seems more familiar with the system from a street side stance," Law sighed. "You guys might be familiar with it throughout the ages, but…you're old. You're not with the current times, so you might not know what's in or out."

" _How dare you_?" Doflamingo cried, black and pink smoke bursting out from him as he huffed. "Are you suggesting we're too old to be hip?"

"Those are hateful words, Law! We're still young!" Corazon sniffled. "You went straight from rebelliousness to downright mean, and not in a flattering way."

"We're so proud of you," Doflamingo said, patting Law's head gently. "Your Demon side is strengthened with the efforts you put into refusing us."

Law considered this for a few moments then said slowly, "Maybe that's it. Maybe all I've received was Demon influence – how do I know being an Angel isn't appealing, also?"

Doflamingo and Corazon looked at him with frozen face plates, then looked at each other.

" _Cora_ ," Doflamingo said warningly.

" _Doffy_ ," Corazon replied, just as ominously.

Corazon pushed Law back into his room and shut the door. Law stood there in silence for a few moments before the hallway exploded with demonic shouts and screams, the walls and floor rattling with a fight so spectacular that it caused shadow minions to shriek in fear. Law picked Bepo up from the floor and held him in one arm as he glanced around himself with thought.

Then he picked up his phone, considering the question for several tense moments before he texted Sanji: "May I live with you for a week?"

"What's the catch?" came the immediate reply. Despite his annoying insistence on a relationship with him, Law did like how intelligent Sanji was, sometimes.

"I want to explore the life of Angels in order to see if that side will influence me any."

"Alksjljfoiurie0293843 ! # $ And you want to live with a *Demon to see this? What is wrong with your shitty brain that you can't see how stupid this idea is? You think I will cater to this BS? You're an *Idiot."

"I have nowhere else to go. I fear I caused a massive battle between my guardians on my behalf, and will possibly wind up dead. My friends left me. I need you."

"Bring everything you need, honey pie! I will take care of you!"

Satisfied with that answer, Law shuffled his phone from one hand to another as he looked at Bepo, juggling the pair with one arm. The mansion rattled with a force so grand that his windows shuddered.

"You mustn't bite him, now," he said to the happy dog, using the voice Sanji forbade him to ever use again, "he might be our only home until I figure out what I'm doing with my life. Please be on your best behavior. Every good behavior gets rewarded – are we clear on this, baby snowflake bear bottom snuggle bit? Good! You're the bestest boy, the bestest, most goodest boy on this side of heaven!"

Juggling his phone and dog again, Law went to set both down on the bed and pack his luggage. He didn't know he'd accidently voice dictated his words to text so when Sanji received it, he promptly vomited. But he Googled some recipes with dogs in them just in case he needed them.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I honestly get confused typing Demon conversations XD

 **Harmonica Smile:** I do lol! I end up having to think hard on antonyms for certain words and it's a doozy. He does! In the most cringiest ways, because it's so terrible. Imagine the worst faces for Botox and you've got Doffy's 'beauty'. I love Patsy! Omg! Thanks for the inspiration to further his terrible character! I have to mix my characters up for story purposes because I always catch myself writing the same ones over and over again and it's horrible D: The Heart Pirates only lowly humans whose goodness outmatches their bad, so they're disregarded, unfortunately.

 **Naghi-Tan** : His love is embarrassing. I did because I need to retrain my brain, now D: Thanks for pointing that out – I will correct it when I have a chance within another chapter. Shachi offered to help Sanji if Sanji could give Shachi information on the confrontation.

 **Fyoyaran** : They do – by 'accident' XD The thing about Demons and Angels revealing their true forms is akin to revealing their most intimate parts, so it's a little personal for them. But Law does it here…heh. Law knows what sort of trouble he placed himself in but he's certain he'll be fine (HAH)

 _ **Chapter Nine**_

* * *

The apartment was much smaller than Law anticipated. It was basically a studio apartment with a separate bathroom and a shelved storage area that could've been a refrigerator at one point. But it had a nice balcony with potted plants and matching furniture, abalone shells as ashtrays and it overlooked a nearby market place. Sanji was a decent housekeeper but the place could use some color and pizzazz. Bepo growled once he caught onto the scent of the man he'd nearly mauled to death.

Sanji had told him to make himself at home while he was away – off shopping for food, Law supposed, looking into the fridge - so Law made himself at home. He hung up his clothes in the stylist's rack off from the bed area, set aside his suitcases underneath the rack, and then checked on Bepo as he sniffed and scratched at something underneath the bed. There was a faint tinge of cigarette smoke lingering in the air but it wasn't unpleasant – it appeared he kept that bad habit out on the balcony.

There was no tv, just a beaten laptop on a coffee table and a single chair. He pouted because there wasn't a place for him to set up his video game console that he had stowed away in a special case. There wasn't very many things in the place so it didn't look very welcoming.

It strongly appealed to his Demon side, he had to admit. Going into brief fantasy about how Sanji was poor, overworked, and struggling to make ends meet. Starving if there weren't any leftovers in the kitchen, forced to make his own cigarettes from abandoned filters in public ash trays. The _misery_ the other man must feel every night, sleeping in such a wretched place! It would feel very good if he happened to hear the other man's stomach grumbling from being empty, knowing he must cry himself to sleep from being unable to pay bills - !

He quickly caught himself, shaking his head to dispel the feelings that arose. He charged his phone and wondered what they were going to do about bed space. He hoped Sanji didn't plan on sleeping with him in that one bed.

He texted Corazon to deliver a futon and his bedsheets to the address he'd sent. He lifted his head and saw the shadows retreat – it figured Corazon had his minions following and watching over him.

Without his Glamour, Law wondered if Sanji would see him the same. After all, the Demon never said what it was about him that made him see Law differently from the others. He changed into his pjs and looked at his watch – he should skip classes tomorrow in order to continue making himself comfortable. He supposed now that he'd taken on a new venture in life, things would be changed significantly. He wondered how Angels and Demons managed to hold onto their professional careers while in the midst of battling each other, and hoped he could find a suitable balance.

He felt very upset that his friends would probably continue to their lives as usual, safe and secure away from this new madness. At the same time he was glad because they were safe. Both sides battled for dominance in how he should really feel about it, so it left him with a headache.

Sanji hurried in like he was running from the law and immediately jumped onto the counter as Bepo charged at him, barking maliciously. Law called him back with a pat of his leg, the dog scrambling to jump into his arms so he had a better chance of biting Sanji if he came in to close.

"I will _eat_ him, and use his fur as a scarf," Sanji threatened Law as he cautiously eased down from the counter. Then he paused to stare at him, Law looking back at him uncomfortably. The image that Sanji usually saw was absolutely different from what he saw now – in front of him was a thin, tall brunette wearing an unreasonable pajama set that had hearts on them. His blue-black hair was in frightening good condition, he had good skin stretched over a fine skeleton, it looked like he had tattoos on his hands, and his eyes still seemed to sparkle. It was that Angel part of him that rendered him an unordinary good looking man, even though his beauty was diminished by the lack of his Glamour. He appealed more to humans and Angels than he did to Demons. "You are…naked."

Law understood that Sanji was looking at him without his Glamour. "Is this a problem?"

After a few moments of consideration, Sanji shook his head. He would still happily snack on the man. Gnaw on his bones like it was a five star dinner, stretch his arms into his skin like an oversized hoodie. "Yes. I regret my decision already – admittedly, it was impulsive and I should've thought about it a little more."

"Why?"

"Because I'd forgotten you'd bring your attack rat with you so I can't even get in close to take advantage - !"

"I assure you, I plan on walking back out that door in the same condition I walked in as."

Sanji clenched his fists with determination, sure to change all that. He just needed some time and some creative planning around that mutt's presence.

"I hope you don't mind, but I hung my clothes with yours."

 _It's like we're married already_! Sanji thought happily. Seeing the set of nerdy clothes alongside his meager supply sent a giddy joy through him, and he had to restrain himself from creating laundry fantasies that would interrupt his clear thinking. But it was difficult imagining watching the man get dressed in the morning – with the faint sunlight streaming in, illuminating his long, lanky body in just khakis, considering which shirt to wear as he –

He quickly pressed his fingers against his nose because the fantasy started to open up to images that were making a presence in his sweat pants.

"This situation only arose because," Law took a deep breath to explain, and sat down on the chair with Bepo placed in his lap. Sanji put his groceries away, mumbling under his breath over something Law didn't catch. "With those two, I am limited to my Demon side only. Of course, they weren't comfortable with my suggestion that I explore my Angel side, and…also…my friends didn't react well to my news and…I had nowhere else to go. Considering that we've already had a run-in with Angels, I figure you can introduce me to them so that we may all…hang out."

Sanji grit his teeth noisily. He had to struggle to rein in his pleasure. _How sweet of him to think that he can use me like this_! he thought joyfully. _But how dare he think I would share him that easily_! "You think it's a good idea to 'hang out' with those that wanted to kill me?"

"I think it'll be fine because you can control your impulses. And with my interference, I don't think they'll bother with you too much."

"You are one cruel, conniving asshole…I can't decide whether it offends me or continues to draw me in."

"Plus, I'm sure it'll be fine with you if I am attacked," Law continued, petting Bepo, "because you won't be afraid of any confrontations and you can see what's happening before any misfortune falls onto you."

"You're _using_ me, you bastard," Sanji said thickly, hand to his chest where his face lit up with delight. He placed his shaking fingers over his face in an attempt to hide his pleased flush. "I don't mind if you do, but I do mind if you don't. In whatever shape or form, let me be the cause of your distress."

Law furrowed his brow. "You're so _weird_ …"

Sanji cautiously eased his way into the bed space, where he gestured with some shaky action. "Do you sleep on the right or left?"

"Corazon will be delivering me my own bed, so don't worry about sharing it."

Utterly dejected, Sanji's shoulders slumped and he sat with a cross expression. He and Bepo stared at each other with consideration before the dog bared his teeth and Sanji bared his right back. Law patted Bepo's back to calm him. "This place lacks life."

Sanji then gave a nervous look to his bed. After receiving Law's confirmation, he had hastily stuffed all his pictures, napkins, utensils, and t-shirts into a box and shoved that under the bed. He hadn't the time to switch his laptop pictures around. "You didn't look at any of the things under here, did you?"

Law gave him a look that asked why he would before saying, "That evil woman said you were a Vinsmoke – Doflamingo spoke of them with praise."

"I don't wanna talk about them. I'm dead to them."

"What time do you go to work?"

"I get there around four-thirty."

"And when are you off?"

"Six thirty." Sanji paused for a few moments, then reluctantly said, "Whatever you thought of your friends, you're wrong. They came into my place afterward to talk about it."

Law looked at him hopefully. "They did?"

Sanji shrank back at the sight of his joy and relief, crossing his legs in front of him. With a sulky expression he said, "Yes. So you haven't lost them – they just wanted to be sure where they stood with you."

"Why'd they come to you?" Law then asked with doubt. "You weren't stalking me and threatening them, were you?"

"It would've been better if I had, but no. They approached me like I was some sort of helpful mage. The old man might be rubbing off on me," Sanji muttered with apprehension, reaching up to check his face for any wizardy characteristics.

"You helped console my friends?" Law asked optimistically. "That's rather nice of you to do."

Sanji twitched. "I didn't mean to, but they presented a deal with me that I couldn't refuse."

"What sort of deal?"

"…Never mind. Just know that it benefits me in the end."

Law looked suspicious. _What dastardly thing did he convince them to do_? he wondered, unable to imagine what his defenseless friends were falling prey to. He would have to watch Sanji carefully to make sure he didn't hurt them in some way. _I will_ kill _him if he hurts my precious things_ \- !

"Is that why you're so restless?" Sanji then asked, yawning noisily. "You don't know what side you're to choose? Why choose one at all? Just be yourself."

"My indecisiveness might be the reason why I lack motivation in life," Law said, scratching between Bepo's ears.

"Which does explain why you avoid my advances."

"I think there's another reason for that," Law replied skeptically.

"In the end, what you're trying to avoid might be your undoing, too. Living this sort of life you have is fine," Sanji said, rubbing at his eyes. "No point in throwing yourself out into the water just because you feel pressured to take on a side."

"I've lived enough around the Demon side to know that it's far too lackluster," Law said. "It's limited and senseless, so I'd like to see what the Angel side has to offer. Maybe there's more of an advantage in something I haven't yet explored."

"What were you planning on accomplishing with med school? Would you like a shoulder rub?"

"No thank you. Becoming a doctor. To fix people, and also to destroy them."

"…Well, which one is stronger? May I brush your teeth?"

"I can do that on my own, weirdo. Both of them are equally as powerful. I could be Doffy's personal plastic surgeon, or I could be a remarkable doctor that helps people. I…haven't delved into actually thinking about what motivates me, other than I need to do it in order to present myself as good husband material for a suitable wife."

"Why are you obsessed with that concept when you have me?"

"Because everyone looks so happy being in a relationship," Law answered with a sigh. "And that's the goal of many – so I made it my own."

 _You will learn the error of your ways_ , Sanji vowed inwardly, piercing him with a determined stare. Bepo growled with warning. Sanjj pierced him with a warning stare. _Stop reading my thoughts, mongrel_!

"I'm telling you, you're only seeing one side of these mythical relationships," Sanji then grumbled. "The concept of a beautiful hetero-relationship is a myth many pursue before they realize that the mold doesn't fit them. It took me several tries to realize why it doesn't work."

"Why didn't it work for you?" Law asked curiously. He couldn't imagine Sanji having any sort of problems in a relationship, considering how attentive he was to female customers.

"I admit, my bad habits caused a lot of problems."

Law remembered the drug problem. He examined the other man thoughtfully – it would explain the hardness of his features, the limpness of his blond hair, the lack of life in the apartment. Seeing him in his pjs – sweats and an oversized sweater shirt with sandals he'd kicked off earlier – made Law think of what sort of rotten things Sanji had done to people while in that drug-fueled haze. Admittedly, it caused a bit of exhilaration in him to imagine traditional things; lying, stealing, forgetting important appointments that caused strain in a relationship. To his Demon side, it was appealing because he could imagine Sanji's relationships crumbling with tears, slaps and fights that encouraged police intervention. He had the thought that Sanji's record must be decorated with angry mug shots and a reputation in cold jail cells.

It was surprising to feel a surge of strange excitement in how wretched that life must have been, so he shook it off quickly to allow his Angel side to take over just in case he gave Sanji any unneeded encouragement. His virginity was possibly at stake here.

"So what makes you think it'd work with me if I actually agreed?"

"Because I'm good, now."

"You're 'good' as in your behavior changed, or that you took up human qualities?"

Sanji wasn't sure how to answer that, so he avoided the question by asking, "You _really_ don't know what you're doing, huh?"

"I don't. And while I've questioned it before, it's never been at this level. Now I feel forced with Enel's push."

"There are other gods that could be curious – "

"The crocodile god has already expressed interest, so I would expect a visit from him, too."

"…There's a crocodile god?"

"He's Doffy's favorite prank. Of course he would. What better way to get back at your tormentor than to destroy his favorite toy?"

"…'Toy'? Wait a minute, so they're allowing you to do this?" Sanji then asked curiously, unable to imagine the freedom in that.

"I guess so. They were fighting when I left, but I didn't care to hear the results of that."

"They might kill you!"

Law shrugged. "They didn't, so…I think it's fine."

Law's indifference was really telling to Sanji. He either had no real idea of what sort of quandary he was in, or he really was fumbling in the dark to find his path. It didn't make sense to Sanji that the Demon guardians would allow him to leave, but –

"Who's 'Doffy'?" he then asked curiously.

"Oh. Doflamingo, Corazon's older brother. He was banished from the internet after being the thinspo for millions of teenage boys in the throes of an eating disorder."

"Have I…met him?"

"I don't think so. You'd know if you did. He doesn't like to be forgotten, so it pisses him off that the internet god banished his name and face from all available search engines in this time of technology."

"There's an internet god?"

Law then set Bepo down on the chair and told him to 'stay'. He retrieved his phone, then frowned. Corazon had told him he could have fun for what he'd done to them. He hoped Law thought long and hard about what he was doing, and he hoped he woke to morning sunshine in his eyes caused by his homelessness.

"I can sleep on the floor," he then said uncomfortably because a surge of joy in that discomfort made him look forward to having a bad time.

"It would have been shocking if he was actually helpful," Sanji said. It took a few moments to compose himself, breathing heavily as he reached back to pat on the sheets. He couldn't wait to have a chance to press them against his face to inhale the scent of the man that used them. He would watch Law as he was sleeping – devouring his vulnerable sleep state with fantasy after fantasy running through his head. "You can have the bed – I washed the sheets. I have a sleeping bag that I can use to sleep on the floor."

"Oh, you don't have to do that – "

"I insist! As my…guest…it's the nicest thing I can think of doing."

"Thank you for this, Sanji," Law then said, unplugging his phone so it wouldn't overcharge.

Sanji melted at the sound of his name, gnawing at his nails as he watched the man hungrily – he couldn't believe he had his supreme man meat in his living space, sharing _air_ with him. It was a shame Bepo was there to stop his overzealous advances, but he was sure the sleeping pills he'd bought would come into handy one of these nights.

"So, uh, what does your dog eat?" he asked casually. Bepo lifted his head to look at him, ears perked at the sound of food being mentioned.

"Don't worry about it. It's only specific things that he can eat. Usually it's whatever I don't eat at dinner, so – "

"You do not feed your damn dog human food!"

"Only the best for my child," Law said awkwardly, catching his change of voice. "I'm pretty tired, so why don't we rest?"

"Yes, yes, you can sleep now! Here! In the most comfortable of places in my place," Sanji said eagerly as he struggled to settle his shaking hands. He hopped off to give Law space to walk over, and had to jump back as Bepo lunged at him. The dog veered away and excitedly claimed space for himself as Law cautiously settled in. It irritated Sanji that he wouldn't be able to use the old "I'm Cold" excuse to settle in the bed with them. Bepo would stop every advance he could think of. He would have to outsmart him… _somehow_.

He retrieved his sleeping bag from the closet, muttering to himself about how reliant the material was. Turning off the lights, he settled on the floor, glaring at the ceiling. But his bad mood vanished because he could hear the light sound of the other man falling asleep, and it sent a tingle through his blood knowing that he was sleeping in his bed. He so looked forward to sniffing the sheets during break tomorrow.

He was out of the apartment at an ungodly time, but in a pure mood as he sailed into the kitchen with a light leap. Carne immediately threw his knife at him while Patty crushed a coffee cup in his grasp.

"NOT TODAY, DEVIL!" Carne shouted at him.

"My dreams came true last night," Sanji huffed, catching himself against the counter. He gripped it tightly, veins bulging against his skin as he struggled to rein in his good feelings. "He is sleeping in my bed…breathing my air…taking up my space…marking my pillow with his delicious drool…"

"ZEFF!"

"Oh, Jesus," Patty gasped. "You went and did it, didn't you kid? Kidnapping and confinement carries heavy charges!"

"It was of his own will!" Sanji heaved over the counter, breathing heavily. He wasn't able to watch Law sleep – _that dog_ kept lifting his head and growling at him every time Sanji made to get up. "He asked me for help – hung his clothes with mine, gave my place judgmental stares like he was going to redecorate. That's it. We're a couple, now."

"Keep your creepy fantasies to a minimum, please," Zeff barked as he walked in, hand to his head. "As long as we don't know stuff, we can't be the witnesses to your crime."

"As soon as I get a break, I plan on running back and wrapping myself in my bed sheets and fapping – "

"ZEFF! I CAN'T DO THIS TODAY!"

"What we should be asking is why this moron is placing himself in mortal danger," Patty exclaimed.

"Yeah," Zeff commented with a concerned look. "Why is that?"

"Oh, his parents kicked him out because of yesterday and his friends are puny humans so…who did he have to turn to? _Me_ ," Sanji said dramatically, hand to his breast. Then he clenched a fist, breathing heavily once more. "I am the _only_ one he has in the world!"

"I saw the news, but I didn't see shit happen," Zeff grumbled, turning on the tap to fill a cup. "So it's true, huh? If gods are willing to challenge that walking mass of junk filled skin, he's something else."

"I saw him first! Don't try and take him for me, or I won't hesitate to kill you, my own benefactor - !"

Zeff dumped the contents of his cup over Sanji's head as the blond attached himself to him, Sanji sputtering and coughing as he darted away. " _Shaddup_. The point is, you trying to hide him from the world isn't going to help us any. We're going to get more attention. People will be curious, so they're going to wander into my café to catch a sight of these particular beast while questioning you, so I expect maximum effort of every one of you here."

"Will we be expecting a raise?" Carne asked hopefully.

"My dreams of offering my girl a pawnshop diamond is finally coming true!" Patty said happily.

"I could earn us a bigger place!" Sanji dreamed, draping a dishtowel around his shoulders.

"I hire idiots," Zeff grumbled, annoyed at their optimism.

Later that day, he walked out from the kitchen to oversee the busy floor. Every table, booth and counter space was being used, Sanji zipping around without his usual spiel. Carne and Patty were too busy with their order filling to argue or fight, and the air had a sense of foreboding to it. But he noticed he had repeat customers and new customers – the edge must be coming from them because he noticed how hard they were restraining themselves from attacking each other.

"And so it starts," he mumbled underneath his breath, supporting himself against the counter.

As Sanji swept by him with a bin full of used dishes, he hissed, "I won't hesitate to murder each and every one of these scumbags if they so breathe one word of my beloved!"

"As long as you mop up the mess. What's out there?"

"Six Demons and four Angels. None of them gods just yet. They're asking other customers if they'd seen anything, yet."

"They sense you?"

"Nope."

"Where is he, anyway?"

"School."

But not several seconds later, Zeff looked up to see Law walk in, making him wince. There was something off about his appearance – he was the overweight tub of lard he normally saw, but his hair wasn't in any wild, greasy condition, his skin was clear, and there was something untraditional about his heavyset face that made him freakishly appealing. Zeff stared at him, unable to understand it.

Faces lifted in anticipation, but the air didn't shift any. Sanji shot out from the kitchen, leaping over the counter and surprised customers in a single bound.

"You were supposed to be at school!" Sanji snarled low at him. "Showing your ugly face here? You'll scare everyone away!"

"I skipped in order to make my living space more comfortable," Law said, surprised at the lack of space in the place. "Wow, it's full."

"Go back up, I'll bring you something to eat!"

"Ah." Law then zeroed in on the pair sitting at the far table, trying to hide their ugly faces behind menus. He walked over to them with a frown, Sanji skirting after him while hissing at interested faces with menace. "Doffy. Cora."

"I swear, even though we lost him, I can still hear his voice," Doflamingo murmured, looking around himself while pointedly ignoring him.

"It's such a shame we lost him at such a young age," Corazon mumbled over his cup.

"Stop ignoring me," Law snapped at them both while Sanji fiddled at his side, wearing an expression that openly displayed his disdain for the ugly pair. "This is only temporary. You guys blocked my number! Why are you being so childish?"

"Waiter," Doflamingo signaled to Sanji as if he weren't standing a couple of feet away. His spiky hair had been horrendously gelled to one side, Botoxed lips protruding outward so far that he had trouble bringing anything close to them. As a result, his shiny leopard print shirt was stained with jam and oily coffee. His feathered boa barely hid his strikingly protruding collarbone and oiled chest. He made Sanji's eyes ache and his instincts to preserve his sanity to scramble. It was like looking at a train wreck – both horrifying and yet too fascinating to look away. "Can you do something about the noise? It's dreadful. I'm hearing mysterious voices that's interfering with my taste buds."

"Your ears aren't connected with your damn tongue, you - !"

" _Sanji_ , this is Doffy and Cora," Law interrupted impatiently, indicating each one. Corazon looked at him with a scowl, underbite jutting out so far that it looked like he was in the middle of calculating some dastardly Disney scheme. His haggard blond hair clung to his oily face while his overly dark eyebrows peered out from the curtain above his leaking eyes. His ill fitting, badly buttoned shirt opened to reveal horrendous body acne, sloppily tucked into high-waisted mom jeans that were rolled at the cuffs, exposing hideously swollen ankles.

Sanji clamped his mouth shut awkwardly, then bumped his hip against Law's to earn him some room closest to the pair. He bowed politely. "Mother. Father. It is me, your son in law."

"Pleased to meet you!" Corazon said with delight while Doflamingo looked shocked, dropping his cup with abrupt movement.

"I refuse to acknowledge this!" Doflamingo hissed at Sanji and Law, who wore a horrified expression. "This marriage is a sham! You're throwing your life away on this classless reject, Law! He's not even ugly in person!"

" _We're not married_!" Law hissed, reddening as this conversation drew interested attention from the tables around them.

"Mother, I'll do my absolute best to make your son absolutely miserable," Sanji told Doflamingo with confidence. "I'll work on cheating and overdrawing his bank account while flaunting attractive lovers on our combined social media – "

"Oh, how _prosaic_!" Corazon sighed with pleasure while Doflamingo scowled.

"Lies! You're too pure of heart to earn my stupid son's favor! I reject you! Come back when you're not wearing your own teeth and you've had failed surgery to correct those eyebrows! My son is too good looking to have landed you!" Doflamingo huffed, giving Sanji an irritated look. "You look at him with too much love! You bounded over that counter like a deer that _demands_ to be shot! _Admirable_."

"His wretched appearance appeals too much to me. I can't hold back!" Sanji said apologetically. "I've tried my best to ignore him and demean him, but I'm too eager to show him that I need him in my life."

"It's _this_ wretched attitude you young people have nowadays, confusing admiration and love for lust! You make me want to praise you."

"I'm so sorry…"

"You guys are all fucking stupid!" Law spit, hitting the table to keep their attention to him. He kicked Sanji away to say, "Enough of that nonsense! First of all, this isn't a relationship, but I'm relying on him to house me since you both can't accept what I need to accomplish - !"

"You ran away from home all on your own, Law," Corazon stated firmly. "You filled your head with absolute nonsense that it only makes sense that you should find out the hard way that this is the _only_ way!"

"… _What_?"

"What your father is saying," Doflamingo said slowly, trying to furrow his brow but physically unable to, "is that this ridiculous concept makes it difficult for us to tolerate you. So it makes sense to throw you out there for you to accept what sort of decision you made to fully experience the adversity of that side."

"What, like finding joy and peace? Comfort and security?" Law asked dully, causing them to spit out their drinks. "That sort of thing is wrong? But I find it at home, too, so aren't you going against your own standards?"

"He is very willing to honor us in public with his accuracies," Doflamingo muttered bitterly.

"My heart warms because of his good will," Corazon said tearfully. "And I haven't felt this way ever since he first charmed us with a tantrum meant for Hell when we refused him a pet."

"You were such a rotten child," Doflamingo growled, fist clenched atop of the table, "and then you turned to _good_."

Law rolled his eyes.

"I hope you go to sleep peacefully at night," Doflamingo then snarled at him, "thinking about what good you're putting us through."

"I'm so _confused_ ," Law mumbled to himself, furrowing his brow with concentration.

"If I may," Sanji interrupted, pushing him aside so that he had the Demons' full attention, "with my guidance, I may be able to help. I'm a bad influence, so I've been told. My history is littered with bad decisions and actions that have proven long lasting on all my relationships!"

"Were you ever in prison?" Doflamingo asked, sipping at his drink. "Did you do serious time for a serious crime?"

"Well, no…"

"Then you're not a bad influence! You're warm donuts, not an English Muffin!"

Sanji gripped his chest with apprehension at the insult.

"Knock it off!" Law complained, mortified with the confrontation. "I told you I was going through some things. If this helps in any way, it's going to benefit all of us."

" _How_?" Doflamingo, Sanji, and Corazon cried at the same time.

"I'll know where I stand! This is something that's been bothering me for quite some time. Not knowing where I belong has left me this indifferent, choiceless shell where no real influence has swayed a decision of mine," Law insisted. "So I turn to video games and the comfort of my friends in order to feel like I am something – "

"It's those video games again," Doflamingo muttered.

"I hate them too!" Sanji exclaimed.

"Don't talk to me unless you're speaking correctly, child!"

" _Don't_ ," Law said, hand up against Sanji's face as his expression turned confused. "It'll ruin you trying to wrap your head around their concept of proper speech."

To the pair he said, "It doesn't make me think any less of you, but I appreciate that you'll let me find myself in this fashion. So could you not interfere? I'm thinking that with my own actions, I'll find my own answers. I don't want you guys stepping in to mess anything up for me. So please stop following me."

"We're not," Doflamingo sniffed. "We like the compliments and tasteful drinks and food."

"I'm pleased you're satisfied," Sanji said hastily, relieved.

"You still don't get it, do you?" Doflamingo snapped at him, causing him to look bewildered. "Law! I refuse to acknowledge this relationship you have with this wannabe! You either get rid of him through tasteful means, or redirect him to someone that's worthy of him. Cora can find you someone else to satisfy your stupid needs."

"But I like him," Corazon whispered, reaching out to pet Sanji's leg.

"Just leave me alone," Law stated, turning away from the table and striding off.

Sanji looked after him with dejection, then slumped to the floor. "My heart aches every time he leaves me without acknowledging my love…"

Doflamingo used his downed head as a footstool to conveniently show off his ugly, tie dye Crocs. "You're too worthy for him. He's destined for someone who can destroy him, body and soul. Go throw yourself into the trash, maybe it'll perk up your appearance."

"Oh, Doffy," Corazon huffed, kicking his leg from Sanji's head. "That didn't go very well. He's going to stubbornly prove himself to us like we wanted him to, and get all ruffled in the end. We don't need to do anything."

"Speak for yourself. I was actually hoping to see him kill some dudes so I can brag about it to other Demon parents."


	10. Chapter 10

Naghi-Tan: They practically are, in Sanji's mind! XD He confuses everyone! (even me lol)

 _ **Chapter Ten**_

* * *

Later that evening found them at Walmart, where Sanji had a recent run-in with the trio when he'd discovered that Nami had stolen Law's wallet. They were sitting on a bench just outside of the McDonald's, watching the doors. Because it was such an unpleasant situation, Sanji wanted a 'safe place' to be in case the confrontation became a mess. Law did not find the appeal of Walmart – there were too many crying babies, angry customers, and though they were sitting right outside of McDonald's, the smell of waffles did not leave a good experience with him. Sanji looked blissful, soaking up the unpleasant environment around him, so Law tried to use his Demon side to see for himself what Sanji did. But his Demon side was too demanding – it wanted blood, spilled guts and thrown children to satisfy the pent up tension around him. He wanted customers cutting into cashiers, someone to choke another with an ill-fitting top from their overly large bodies – he wanted a different sort of violence that could only be appeased in a messy way.

He explained this to Sanji, their voices too low for anyone to be alarmed by the content.

Sanji's expression changed. "So, you're not into foreplay? This sweet tension is important. It leads up to that."

"No, I want immediate results," Law answered, aware of the way people looked in his direction. Because he lacked Corazon's Glamour, people didn't know whether to be in awe or disgust of him.

"That's hot, but it's very important."

"We are of a generation that demands immediate satisfaction. We get it from the press of a button – it should be applied to circumstances such as these."

"No, that's the result of playing your damn games. Once you're away from that environment, you'll know what I'm talking about."

"I miss my friends," Law said with a sigh.

Sanji's eye narrowed. "I do, too. But only because they're ducking out from their promise."

"What deal did you make with them?"

Instead of responding, Sanji caught sight of an upset mother screaming at a cashier for her debit card not working. Her children were already tearing into snacks in her cart, so paying for it was going to be a problem. His face lit up. Law realized he wasn't going to get an answer once he caught sight of this – he gave the scene a dull expression, imagining the mother jumping the space between herself and the cashier to beat the old woman against the register. His Angel side took over, and he saw a frazzled, stressed, fragile woman desperate to feed her hungry children, upset over a card she had yet to register. The sticker was still clinging to the front of the card. He hoped the cashier would see that and help her.

"Your parents – "

"Guardians," Law corrected firmly.

"No, your real ones. What happened to them?"

"Ah…we're not close enough to share backstories."

"I miss my mother," Sanji confessed quietly. "But I know I disappoint her."

"But she paid for your rehab."

"She'll bail me out if she finds out I'm in trouble."

"Doesn't that make you feel bad?"

"It does."

Law looked at him to see if he was speaking the Demon truth or a real truth. He found real disappointment on Sanji's face. For a Demon that spoke and wanted as he did, he sure had a problem with things only Angels found tedious.

"Do you…make her cry?" he asked cautiously, trying not to find delight in it.

"Most likely. She clipped her wings just to be with my dad – raised a family of Demons with him. I never understood why – he treats her like a common slave and she treats him like an employer."

"People clip their wings for weird reasons."

"Yeah, I know."

"But their true selves are still apparent?"

"No, that's the thing. She never really did the Angel thing. I only found out by accident that she was one. Which is why my situation is so weird."

Law wanted to see Sanji's clipped wings, but knew he was asking an intimate question. He might as well as ask to see the rest of him, and Sanji would take that as an invitation. He furrowed his brow with consideration.

"Let's try something," he said slowly, then reacted with shock as Sanji moved to kiss him. He pushed his face away hurriedly, putting space between them. " _Not that_! No, while we're here, try and think and feel like an Angel."

"Wha? How boring!" Sanji whined from behind Law's hands. He was pushed fairly close to the edge of the bench by Law's longer reach, but to those looking it looked only as if Law was pushing his head aside, his bigger girth taking up the space. "Let's go along with what I'm thinking!"

"Instead of feeling the way you do now, enjoying all this negative nonsense," Law indicated their environment with a wave of his hand, "try thinking in a more positive manner."

"This is going to hurt me, because my idea of positivity is furthest from yours," Sanji grumbled, resting elbows on his spread knees. While he was in manspreading position, he still couldn't touch Law's leg due to the distance the shoulder devil was sitting from him.

"You're…" Law tried to emulate Doflamingo's way of speech, certain to reach Sanji this way, "very…dumb. So this…should be considerably difficult for you."

"Okay."

"There." Law pointed at a man with a red face, who was growing furious the longer it took a cashier to scan an item. "What do you see?"

"An old dude upset because the old lady isn't doing her job correctly."

"Now, think positively of it…"

Sanji blinked, squinting at the scene with trouble. He couldn't take any sort of 'positivity' to it because his mind refused to wrap around the concept. He exhaled blowfish style. "You're right. I'm dumb. Because I can't."

"Instead of thinking he's angered by her slow, incapable hands, he's embarrassed because she's scanning a box of tampons. Judging from his age, it's for a daughter or granddaughter. And the woman should know this because she's a woman. His manly pride is burning because he's holding up a line due to the woman unable to scan the bar code because the box is damaged. Likely from him crushing it into his cart so that he isn't seen with it."

"What a dumbass. He shouldn't be embarrassed by that sort of thing! Women are creatures to be prized and admired for their ability to bleed without dying! I see her side, but not his. He deserves the looks he's getting."

Law frowned at him. "Why aren't you with a woman?"

"Because I'm 'too nice'," Sanji stressed with heavy irritation. "Plus, I refuse to date another after breaking another's heart."

"How?"

"I picked out an oval diamond rather than her favored heart diamond. It was the second date."

Sanji relived the horrible moment with his head in his hands while Law looked irritated. He rolled his eyes. "You're a true idiot. No wonder no one likes you."

He ignored the praised expression on Sanji's face as he glanced away, and pointed at an overweight woman using the store's cart. "Now, that."

"She's a woman with back problems because she had so many children, no one should have to judge her for it. She's contributing to the economy with every birth she has."

Law gave him a sour look. "Why do you only think positively for women?"

"I thought I made it clear that I respect and admire them for their deviant behavior? They're the true Demons of this world, they need respect!"

Law rolled his eyes again.

"Listen, I kind of understand what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work. I can't think or feel like an Angel! I'm not what you are. I'm just a Demon with issues," Sanji said with a sigh.

In a way, Law liked it. The man was as damaged and as dumb as they could come. His Demon side was satisfied with the amount of sheer idiocy Sanji was capable of exuding, because it was as obnoxious as it was attractive. But his Angel side felt pity for his sheer idiocy because it was obvious why he would be rejected from his constant trials at romance. He had a headache.

"Don't you think we've sat here long enough?" he asked on a heavy sigh. "They're not coming."

"Continue being negative, show your Demon aura to the world. I'll bet they'll come running," Sanji encouraged, looking at his phone to check the time. "It was right around here when I ran into them that one time."

"They certainly are attracted to yours, so you do it."

"Anything for you, my love!"

"Stop calling me things like that! And what you did today was very embarrassing," Law added petulantly as Sanji pushed what was left of his Demon aura out, concentrating on doing so. "Aren't you mortified presenting yourself to people the way you do? Have some modicum of self-respect! No one can take you seriously if you throw yourself out there, wanting it that bad."

"Does it make you feel pity or irritation when I do it?" Sanji asked cautiously, trying not to be pleased with the scolding.

Law thought about his answer carefully before saying, "It makes me feel sad."

He could feel Sanji considering the answer before he was suddenly glomped from the side by him, the Demon nuzzling up to his jawline with his furry upper lip. "Let me comfort you, then!"

"GET OFF!"

"I can without your help! Just sit here and let me rub on you!"

"I'm not a damn lamp!"

As Law was trying to detach him, he saw one of the three men with Nami shoot in through the doors. He was releasing a battle cry that caused some of the customers to look at him with irritation. Behind him was the guy with the swords, both of them battle ready and eager to get into a confrontation. Both of them were wearing grocery store uniforms and name tags, aprons dangling from their necks – Sanji recognized the store as being one two blocks away, which startled him as to how far his aura could actually reach.

"SANJI!" the first bellowed, causing the Demon clinging to Law to stiffen up. "I'm here! You're finally ready to settle this, eh?"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" the other one said, wearing a gleeful expression as customers eyed his three swords with caution.

Sanji retracted his aura to light up a cigarette, causing distress of those around him. A man in a motorized cart and an oxygen tank hit him with his cane on his way by, buckling his knees and causing him to fall over in a slump. The sound caught the attention of the pair they were looking for, so Law stepped over Sanji to greet them as they strolled forward with hungry expressions.

"Hi," he greeted stiffly, having to bend and lean to get their attention. They were so focused on the man climbing back to his feet that he felt awkward having to do this. "Hello. It's me you're looking for."

Luffy hit Zoro repeatedly, eyes wide while Zoro continued to look on with disappointment beyond Law. "Zoro! Just like the song, Zoro!"

" _What song_?" Zoro asked with irritation, finally noticing Law standing in front of them. He did a double take, confused because he swore he saw the guy before but he didn't look like this. But he looked once more to Sanji, who was tossing aside his ruined cigarette with a curse. A Walmart employee stalked over to give him a talking to, capturing him into an argument.

"Greetings, hello," Law tried again, stooping low to completely capture Zoro's attention. "Yes, hi, I'm right here. Sanji didn't get his wings back, but I asked him to find you guys because I had a question."

"We're not here to _fight_?" Luffy whined, shoulders slumping.

"Then what are we here for?" Zoro snarled from behind his sword, looking just as disappointed. "What are we doing here? I hate this place!"

"Recently, I came out," Law started, then realized his choice of words as the pair looked at him sharply. "I mean, I revealed my form."

"Shouldn't that be expressed only to your social media and family?" Zoro asked skeptically.

"What a weird way of saying you're gay," Luffy contributed with a puzzled look.

"NO! I meant - !"

"I mean, it's _okay_ , there's nothing wrong with it…"

"But it's got nothing to do with us. Congratulations, I guess."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

"Then what are you trying to say?" Zoro snapped at him impatiently, ripping off his bandanna. "We came in here to fight, not get proposed to!"

"Well, I mean, if you don't mind my obnoxious behavior and lack of attention to your needs, I mean, hey, I'm here," Luffy said with a grand gesture at himself, ending with a clumsy shrug.

Sanji inserted himself between them, nearly climbing onto Law with a possessive wrap of his arms and legs. He hissed at them as Law struggled to pull him off. "He's MINE! Get away! I'll savage you both with any object I can find if you touch or woo him!"

" _NOT_ what I came here for," Zoro muttered with a scrunched look while Luffy looked incredulous.

"I'm _shocked_ that you would say that to me, Sanji," Luffy gasped, gesturing at himself. "You disappear all this time, then come back and try to fight me the first moment some random dude tries proposing to me! It's like you don't want me to be happy!"

"I will stuff all these salty fries up your urethras if you dare try to still my beloved from me!"

"In Demon form?" Zoro considered thoughtfully.

"Well, I thought about it, and I decided that I'm going to go through with it!" Luffy snapped at Sanji. "It's my first proposal!"

"I'M NOT PROPOSING TO ANYONE!" Law screamed with exasperation, finally managing to thrust Sanji away from his face to speak. He used an elbow to at least create space enough so that he could see the two, the Demon clinging to his neck with both arms and his legs wrapped around his waist. People looked over with pity at the skinny man possessively defending the larger man from two punkish individuals that were clearing approaching them with hateful intentions. The Walmart employee radioed for backup.

"I'm here to talk _peacefully_ about my situation," Law clarified. "And since you guys know each other, I want this to work."

Luffy picked at his nose, then examined his finger while Zoro crossed his arms and gave Law an undecided look.

"Do we…know you?"

" _NO_."

"Hmm, sounds sticky," Luffy murmured, rolling the salty object around before wiping it off on a woman's jacket as she passed by. "All right, well…what's up? Let's get a meal first, though. All this excitement made me hungry."

But they were ushered outside by several Wal-Mart employees and armed security, clumsily scooting onto a busy sidewalk where people had to walk around them hastily in order to make a blinking walkway light. Sanji lit up a cigarette while Zoro glowered at him, itching for a fight. Luffy looked up at Law with a frown.

"Fat people don't live long, you know," he said listlessly. "Maybe you should take up cardio. Start eating fruits and veggies. This is the only way to have a long life."

Law removed his Glamour impatiently, causing both of them to look at him with shock. Whatever appealed to their Angel vision caused Sanji to make a face, smoking with a pouty expression.

"OH! You're that Angel from the other day!" Luffy crowed cheerfully.

"What are you doing hanging out with _that_ guy?" Zoro asked Law skeptically, gesturing at Sanji.

"We're _married_!" Sanji hissed at him.

"That is offensive!" Zoro hissed back.

" _NO ONE IS_ _MARRIED_!" Law snapped, shoving both of them away from each other, then wiping his hands on his jacket. Luffy eyed his tattoos with indecision.

"If you're an Angel, then why are you wearing death on your fingers?" he asked curiously.

"I did this myself," Law answered. "I was bored one day. It applies to my situation."

Luffy looked at him with confusion.

"I'm considered a 'shoulder devil'," Law explained slowly, finding his hand sanitizer in his jacket pocket and dumping some of that onto his hands. He could feel Sanji standing close behind him, glaring at the other two ferociously from behind the safety of his body. "It's an equal combination of an Angel and Devil put together."

Both Luffy and Zoro stared up at him like he was speaking in tongues. Law realized he had to prove it, and gave a reluctant look around the area before allowing his Angel aura to touch them. Once they recognized it, they looked at him with approval. With some tension, Law held his lips tightly between his teeth before cautiously emitting his Demon Aura. Both of them reacted fiercely, nearly changing forms to charge at him before he quickly combined the two to appear human.

People scrambled with startled screams at the sight of the two Angels caught in mid-formation, Sanji hissing at them as he quickly inserted himself between them and Law. Their brilliant white armor plates shimmered as wings slowly disappeared, both of them wearing confused expressions as they resumed human form.

With an irritated gesture, Law pushed Sanji aside so that he could continue speaking. "As you can see, both sides are equally as strong."

"How is that possible?" Zoro questioned, looking fairly bewildered. "You can't be both."

"I am. And it's the source of my misery right now, so – "

"Then why don't _you_ fight us?" Luffy asked, confused.

"Are you the one behind Enel's ending yesterday?"

"It's so weird, because I don't sense anything from you," Luffy said, stretching to sniff him curiously. He received a slap from Sanji once the blond forced space between them. "OW! Sanji! What was that for?"

"Demon, is that a challenge?" Zoro asked, huffing slightly as he sidled up to the smoking Demon, forehead against his.

"Did it excite your bloodlust?" Sanji asked, blowing smoke into his face.

Law managed to get himself in between them, awkwardly pushing and shoving until they were both sufficiently spaced. He straightened his clothes.

"You Angels are a difficult breed to talk reason into!" he exclaimed, bewildered. "You're so damn bloodthirsty!"

"Hey, it's our instinct, we're instinctive creatures," Luffy complained, giving a shrug. "We just do what it tells us to do."

"I can talk more sense to Demons who actually care to listen than to either of you!"

"We smell a Demon, we can't stop ourselves," Zoro explained, arms folded behind his head. "So what's this about?"

"As you must know by now, considering Nami from the other day doing research – "

Luffy's face dropped, and he slapped his cheeks with a ragged gasp while Zoro looked awkward. "Oh my gosh! NAMI! We forgot Nami! We gotta go!"

"Wait!" Sanji exclaimed as they turned and began running down the sidewalk. "WAIT! We're not done talking!"

Law caught his arm, watching after the racing Angels with consternation. "Never mind, Sanji. This was ridiculous. They didn't have enough sense to listen to a word I said."

"I can chase them down - !"

"They will attack you like a cat wandering into a dog pit! Let's go. Now that they're interested, they'll find me through you," Law grumbled, fed up with the situation. "I can't believe how utterly inane this has been!"

Sanji reached up to ruffle his hair, irritated with his Angel form. "You look so cute when you're frustrated, even when you're an Angel."

Law shoved him away, fixing his hair impatiently. He pulled his Glamour back on, to which Sanji was promptly dazzled by the sight of his beauteous form once more. "None of this has gone the way I wanted it to go."

"My beautiful sugar muffin with sprinkles! Don't worry, it'll come, you're to be rewarded with your hard work and effort!" Sanji exclaimed, snuggling up to his shoulder and inhaling deeply of the Wal-Mart smell that lingered on Law's jacket. "Mmf. You smell like how I imagine morning smells when it's unpleasant and depressing."

Law was too tired to push him away, but he did widen his step in order to walk faster than him. "I know where they work, so maybe I'll try approaching them tomorrow after school."

"Without me?" Sanji cried, dismayed at the idea. "You can't! You can't do this without me, I won't let you! I won't let them lay their horrible Angel paws on you when I know I can be there to stop it!"

Law then paused at a crosswalk, examining the situation they just left. Sanji continued smelling him, huffing as he did so. People gave them odd looks. "Though, just that single confrontation told me I was uncomfortable in it. They're just so aggressive. They reacted completely without thinking – only wanting to destroy and dominate. Never considering a consequence or an extension of torture…I'm used to stimulated situations where it's shoot to kill or be killed, but those consequences aren't as extensive – I'm guaranteed either a respawn or a different map. Maybe I have to think about this in a similar manner…"

"I think you could use some aggression," Sanji mumbled, tracing the width of Law's shoulders with one finger. Then slapped him between the shoulder blades, startling him as he nearly crumbled. "And what did I tell you about using games as an acceptable scenario? That isn't the same, here! Video games have nothing to do with your situation! It's going to kill you, thinking you can _respawn_ , or whatever!"

"…Please don't hit me again…"

Sanji grabbed him by his jacket and shook him, causing other pedestrians distress at the sight of the skinny man bullying a larger one that looked helpless in his grasp. "If you're going to think of it that way, then it's the same as them! Only they don't get to respawn! Once you're dead, you're dead! Nothing will bring you back to life, and so help me Satan, if you even allow yourself to fall from an Angel's hands, I will kill myself and go find you in the afterlife, kill you there, get us reincarnated, and find you and kill you before you even remember what I originally killed you for! You understand that?"

"I don't know why you have to be so forceful about it," Law muttered dejectedly, shrinking a little as Sanji's Demonic strength made itself known. Then he wore a panicky expression, wondering why he _acted_ like this the moment the Demon grew so violently aggressive with him.

Dropping him Sanji huffed, spitting out his filter as the light changed in their favor. Law had to pick himself up, clumsily wiping himself off as others muttered at the behavior and action, but not brave enough to intervene. "It pisses me off that you're so fucking weak! I share your mother's thoughts on video games – it ruins your mind! Makes you think like a goddamn ninny! It's embarrassing! Maybe I should make a man out of you, somehow, and change your entire life with some iron hand fisting – _I mean_ , training…"

"Wait, Doflamingo isn't my mother," Law wanted to point out, remembering the conversation from earlier. " _Technically_ – "

"I don't wanna hear it! He was right! Instead of trying to explore your Angel side, let's strengthen you up like a man, a _human_ man! Rigorous training to toughen up your mind and body, so you don't drop like a freaking ragdoll the moment your chin gets touched! It'd embarrass me as your rightful husband if my wife gets KO'd without any effort!"

Law looked after him incredulously as he then strode across the crosswalk, then hurried after him. "No, wait, that's stupid, there's no need for that sort of thing! I'm strong and powerful enough on my own – I defeated a freaking _god_ , Sanji, in less than five minutes!"

"No, I'm not hearing it! I've already decided. Tomorrow, we start training. I'm going to purple and reform your face with my own bare feet," Sanji decided, rubbing his hands with glee. "You're going to look _beautiful_ all bruised and deformed, bleeding from every imaginable orifice…!"

 _There's not that many orifices_ , Law scoffed to himself.

"That's not going to happen," he denied impatiently. "That's just a dumb waste of effort and time."

"…But it made me happy…"

"I'll talk to them tomorrow."

"Ugh, fine. I'll tell Zeff I'm pregnant, and he'll let me go if I bring a doctor's note, so can you, uh…?"

"Whoever the father is, he's got a sick sense of humor," Law muttered, walking on while Sanji gaped after him with insult.

The next morning, Law heard Sanji slap his alarm off with a grumble. He hadn't even fallen asleep yet – frankly, he was startled that he'd been playing Fortnite mobile for this long. He quickly locked his phone and stuffed it underneath the sheets, removing his headphones. From the corner of his eye he saw Sanji stand up, grumbling to himself as quietly as possible. Bepo moved from the warmth of Law's legs to watch the Demon cautiously as Sanji stumbled out from his sleeping bag and snatched his cleaned uniform from the rack nearby.

Despite his earlier embarrassment, Law really did want to see his clipped wings, and there was just enough early morning city light streaming through the blinds to allow him this moment. Sure enough, Sanji snatched off his sleep shirt with a quiet yawn, revealing a fairly boney upper body that made Law salivate abnormally. Mostly because it was obvious he was overworked and underfed, and it soothed his Demon side to see that. There was something attractive about the way shadows danced between his bones, an extraordinary grace to his limbs moving quickly to cover himself with his uniform shirt.

But he saw them – two blackened lumps, like deformed skin tags, sat just atop of his shoulder blades. They weren't cut traditionally, like they should have been – Hililuk had sawed them off inches from the stem, so there was a great chance for Sanji to reform them if he wanted to. Around the stems was the garish display of veins, like roots visible underneath a growing plant.

It made Law uncomfortable to see because it was as if he were catching a glimpse at Sanji's dick – too personal and intimate. But they disappeared underneath the shirt he pulled on, and Law closed his eyes quickly as Sanji turned to pull his shorts off from the rack as well. Long after he finished cleaning up and was gone, Law laid there, feeling uncomfortable.

He kept seeing that vision of garish veins and blackened lumps settled over pale white skin, covering strong bones. He found himself wondering what they would feel like, the sensation of skin and wing underneath his suddenly sweating palms. Uncomfortably, he realized he was growing aroused, and Bepo turned to look at him, sensing his wakefulness with a tilt of his head.

"Don't look at me!" he hissed at his dog, Bepo tilting his head the other direction with question. Pulling the sheets over his head, Law wondered why he was feeling this way.

He wished he still had his friends close to at least ask them what this meant.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: **Naghi-Tan, Harmonica Smile, fyoyaran, Happy Balon, Sarge1130** – thank you guys for your reviews and thoughts! This story is pretty screwy, and I hope ya'll enjoy this mess until the end of it!

 _ **Chapter Eleven**_

* * *

The grocery store was less unpleasant than the Wal-Mart. With its cheery music and gently lit ambiance, it was calmer and slower paced than the national chain. It sucked the life out of Sanji immediately, causing him to wilt at the shoulders as Law looked for the familiar faces of the Angels. Bepo, with his fluffy white halter-sweater and satin bow at his shoulders, panted happily from his crooked arm. The dog matched his blue jacket, plain v-neck over some skinny jeans and his brogues – while fitting on his normally slim form, his presentation made others blanch. Sanji was in his usual all black, wearing a pair of worn jeans, an oversized shirt that hung stylishly from him and some motorcycle boots. Women glanced twice in his direction then cringed at the sight of Law next to him.

"Too…much…gentle…ambiance," Sanji grunted, reaching out to clasp tightly onto one shoulder. Law wiggled his shoulder to dislodge him, striding forward. It soothed his Angel side, drawing his eye to the green houseplant and gift wrapping center nearby, followed by a coffee stop within the book and magazine racks. Children chomped on free fruit while parents shopped with a calm determination in wide aisles. Bepo was offered a free doggie treat by an employee who took a few moments to coo at him.

After she bounced off Law felt himself shudder, hand to his heart. "This place is so _beautiful_!"

Sanji snarled, "It's raw and brutal, like doujinshi sex without lube or logic!"

"…What?"

"Never mind!" Sanji huffed, hands to his head. "Hurry. I'm dying."

"No, what was that about - ?"

Sanji then lurched up against him, hands squishing Law's face tightly between them. "Would you like to find out for yourself what I meant?"

" _No_!" Bepo lunged at Sanji with snaps of his teeth at his master's denial, so Sanji staggered away hastily. "I just thought it was weird you'd mention something like that. I overheard Hudson giggling about it to someone he was talking to, and…I forgot what kind of a stalker you were, so you'd probably know all about that yourself…"

Sanji gave him an impatient look. "Hello? I'm a Demon? I know all about the dark side of the 'net? Of course that stuff is of personal knowledge to me! Yaoi, yuri, incest, shota, bara - !"

"STOP! It sounds like you're casting a spell!"

"A spell of _love_!" Sanji gestured grandly towards him with some flowers he whipped out from a nearby bucket, but ended up sneezing and coughing as Law jerked the bouquet away from him and returned it.

"One day," Sanji began, snatching something from a nearby counter and holding it between his hands in front of his face. He wiggled it to capture Law's attention, and the shoulder devil found himself helpless to look away as the cutesy stuffed bear with a wedding dress and a heart bouquet caught his attention, "you'll learn you can't escape from my spell! You'll eventually wind up in places where you never imagined yourself –leaking fluids, hot, muscles trembling from a strenuous -!"

Bepo managed to snatch at the stuffed bear, Sanji yanking at it, both of them tugging against each other while Law considered his words.

"Hiking in Arizona's Grand Canyon in the middle of August?" Law then asked hopefully, Sanji successfully wrangling the stuffed bear from Bepo.

"Wha -? No!"

"…Oh. Because I'd always thought that sounded like fun."

"I'm talking messy homosexual sex, and you're talking about hiking in Hell?"

Remembering the way he'd unexpectedly felt the other day, Law sputtered. He reddened from neck up, hand out to push against Sanji's mouth as others glanced at them from the corners of their eyes with suspicion.

"Why are we on separate wavelengths?" Sanji complained, putting the bear back as Law turned away to scan the busy registers for any sight of the three. "For once in this relationship, I really need you to consider my thoughts and feelings."

"I didn't agree to this. I made myself clear, _plenty of times_ , that in no way is this turning into some romantic comedy."

 _Wait_ , Law then thought with a surprised face. Isn't that exactly how this was turning out? _The weird stalking situation, the ploy to get closer to me, the revelation of his true intentions, suddenly having a rather convenient set-up for me to move in with him? The chance for us to get closer together, learning emotionally intimate things about each other? This is clearly a setup!_

"God's plan," Sanji muttered, glaring at a baby that stared at him from his mother's cart nearby. He burst into tears as Sanji rubbed his hands with glee, soaking up the upset.

Law looked at Sanji with a start, feeling light-headed. _Was_ it God's plan that they were fated to meet?

"When we met," he said clearly, "I admired your abilities to get women's attention and wanted your help in that aspect. In no way am I expecting this situation to turn around for one of your sick favors."

"Like I'd give you away!" Sanji scoffed. "I fully intended on using that ploy to get your attention and sabotage all your efforts in finding a lady. If you were meant to have one, you already would've disregarded your Glamour and found one a long time ago."

"Yeah, but…even if I used my Glamour or emerged as an ordinary human, I would've met one purely based on physical standards, and not really for me."

Sanji looked at him with concern, then reached up to stroke his cheek. "Oh, my stupid little precious, you are a dumbass."

Law slapped his hand away.

" _Of course_ it's purely physical!" Sanji exclaimed, hands out for emphasis. "Even for a goddamn Angel, it's based on what looks good! Those cretins like cute things, humans like attractive things, and Demons adore ugly things! Since you're Demon raised, of course you'd do the ugly thing in order for someone to actually find your heart, thinking in an Angel's manner, but since you clearly got shit for brains, you don't understand that you were sabotaging yourself from the very beginning to save yourself for me!"

Law scoffed at that. "I want to find someone who likes me no matter what I like, or look like. Who accepts me for who I am and what I want to do, no matter where I come from."

"Only I do," Sanji whispered with comfort, stroking his back lovingly. "I see past your pure ugliness to see a beautiful man who is wonderfully stupid yet reasonably intelligent with a lazy sense of understanding of his small world and I've already met mother and father so no matter what you do, I'll still be here to lick your toothbrush and tolerate your pet rat just so I can touch your butt."

" _Ugh, you're so creepy_!" Law cried, swatting his hand away. But his blush turned significantly stronger, making him sweat as the sensation of Sanji's hand on his back lingered.

"How else am I to express my love when your dumb friends haven't even - ?" Sanji cut himself off quickly when Law looked at him.

" _What_? What were they supposed to do?" he growled, Bepo helping him.

"If you strangle me in a rage, I might just confess," Sanji said hastily, directing his free hand to his throat. Panting with excitement, he blushed and waited in anticipation for Law's fingers to close.

Law slapped his chest instead, mortified once he caught people looking at them with wide-eyes. " _You're so embarrassing_!"

Resuming his normal look, Sanji scratched at his hair. "This is foreplay. I'm teaching it to you so you know that this builds up to something that plays off for both of us in the end. Immediate satisfaction isn't always guaranteed in life."

Eager to regain his sense of sanity, Law said, "Isn't this that weird Angel tendency of yours? Wanting soothing and placating gestures in place of a normal Demon need to dominate and conquer?"

Sanji contemplated this with thought, making Law roll his eyes with exasperation. He reached out and redirected Sanji's attention away from the garden and gift center, arm around his shoulders while Bepo growled in warning at the Demon to remain on his best behavior. Sanji glowed in his voluntary grasp as Law kept it to strictly manly comfort.

"Let's agree on this – you're battling identity issues, right? You even confessed to saying that," Law said. "If you try and make your best attempts at trying to be an Angel, I'll…um…"

Sanji leaned upward on his tiptoes to hold his face close to his, wearing such a bright, hopeful expression that Law was startled. "Reward me with a kiss?"

Impatiently, Law knocked his head back with his, causing his glasses to nearly fall and Sanji to hold his nose with a snarl. "NO. …I'll see about removing your wings properly. I saw them the other night, and Dr Hililuk did a terrible job – "

"You were spying on me while I was undressing?" Sanji cried joyfully, Law quickly covering his mouth with that arm while Bepo barked in alarm. "Oh, my love, if you're ready, my body is _super_ ready!"

But this bartering was interrupted when Law spotted a familiar face. He strode over determinedly.

"I _thought_ I'd heard a demonic scream from one of the cells of Hell!" Luffy finished bagging a customer's groceries, and sent the cart aside with a dramatic push, the man looking at him with dismay. "Sanji! Here to change your mind?"

"Don't worry about it, this place will kill me instead," Sanji complained, hand to his sensitive eyes.

" _Aw_ ," Luffy complained, looking cross. "Every time I see you, I get my hopes up and you just dash it away like I don't have any feelings. You're a cruel fuckboy, you know that?"

"Enough with the flattery," Law interrupted, as Ussop snapped his gum pensively, standing at the register after setting down a 'Closed' tab on the rack. Before Law could add anything, both Angels darted at Bepo with grand squealing and admiration, the dog soaking it in with a proud preening from his owner's arm.

"He's sooooo _cute_!" Ussop sobbed dramatically, taking pictures with his cellphone while Luffy drooled over him, dancing in place. "His little ears are killing me right now! I'm so dead!"

"Look at his little ribbon! His little tongue! He's so _precious_!" the teen exclaimed, wanting to touch Bepo but also giving his face hard slaps in order to stay focused.

"His name is Bepo," Law said, unable to stop himself from sparkling with joy at the attention his precious pet was receiving. Sanji covered his eyes, blinded by Law's Angel aura. "He is three years old and a star on Instagram."

"Gimme his at!"

"I can't take this anymore! I'm frothing at the mouth! I need CPR! He's too freaking _cccyyyuuutteee_!"

Sanji gagged, then caught himself as Ussop nearly collapsed from convulsions, Luffy making a strange crying face as he continued to admire the proud animal.

" _Pathetic_ ," Sanji muttered in disgust.

Alerted by the sound of Sanji's voice, the Angels all snapped to attention. Law cleared his throat to allow himself to speak, shifting Bepo from one arm to the other. "Yesterday, I couldn't quite get my point across."

Luffy chuckled, fiddling with his apron. "Yeah, I know! We left Nami holding onto a pallet with water and told her we had to take a real quick shit. Of course, we were lying because - !"

"I want to know your world," Law said firmly as Sanji took a heavy seat down on a closed lane, fanning himself while Ussop looked at him with wary consideration. "I've been surrounded by Demon influence while having barely a touch of the Angel side. I was wondering if you'd accept my friend request?"

"I had to delete my Facebook," Luffy said with uncertainty. "My brother Sabo said I kept getting hacked because I accepted tons of Friends."

"I meant…"

"He wants to know if hanging out with you guys would influence his Angel side any better!" Sanji said crankily, digging for his cigarettes. "Christ."

"There's no smoking in here," Ussop said nervously. Bepo barked once at Sanji, then searched for his master's approval for restraining himself. Law ruffled his fur affectionately, giving Bepo what he'd asked for.

Sanji lit up anyway, much to the consternation of the customers and workers around them. Luffy looked at Law with a surprised face.

"Well, I mean, all we do is pay our bills and look for Demons to fight," he said skeptically, looking at Law with question. His eyes struggled with much determination to stay on the shoulder devil's face, wanting to fawn over the dog all over again. Bepo watched the confrontation with his pink tongue lightly showing from his lips, knowing that this would up his cuteness factor.

Luffy's eyes shone with brilliance, struggling to focus on the conversation. "Can you keep up?"

"I'm wearing my Glamour," Law reminded Luffy shortly. "I assure you, I'm in great shape. I run nearly every night."

"You don't need that around us!" Luffy scoffed, regarding the Glamour. "That's a Demon thing!"

Sanji quickly launched himself in that direction, hugging Law from behind. Bepo made to bite him but Law held onto him tightly, the animal agitated at the sight of his master being manhandled again. "Looks aren't that important! If he wants to look this way, it's fine!"

"Well, how are we going to hang out when you have a Demon hanging all over your back?" Luffy then complained, gesturing at him. Law struggled to be released, Sanji hanging onto him like a determined spider-monkey. Law gave up and attempted to reclaim his dignity.

"He'll be fine."

"It's like dangling meat in front of us, telling us not to have a bite!" Luffy cried dramatically.

"He'll be on his best behavior," Law then said, making a face as Sanji's cigarette smoke burned his eyes and caused his sinuses to react. "Frankly, my own judgement on the matter is influencing whether or not this is even an option to pursue. But I know no other Angels, unless I draw them out the same way we did yesterday and attempt to friend them as well."

"By using _him_ as bait?" Luffy panted, bending at the knees to peer around Law, looking at Sanji hungrily. Even Ussop had to bite his lower lip, trembling a little. Law observed their reactions with an uncertain frown.

Rubbing his goatee with thought, Law considered his options. Sanji hopped down, flicking his hair as he fiddled with his cigarette. A manager approached cautiously from the side, trembling with nervousness.

"Um, sir? There's no smoking in here," he croaked.

" _Kolby_!" Luffy exclaimed, arms thrown high. "Listen to this! That guy's a Demon, but this guy is a combo plate! Both Angel and Demon, and he's asking us to be his friend!"

"There's no such thing," the manager, Kolby, scoffed. "Besides, you guys can't fight in here. Can you take it outside?"

Sanji looked at him, sneering as he flicked ashes aside. The kid looked young and stupid with his pink hair gelled back from his glasses wearing face. "You're the manager? How old are you? How'd you get your job? A little of this and that?"

Kolby looked at him, unable to understand why Sanji was miming a blowjob to his face. But he cleared his throat and said determinedly, "I will have to ask you to leave. You are making customers uncomfortable."

" _I'm_ uncomfortable just walking into this place! It caters to Angels only! I feel discriminated against!"

"There's a Wal-Mart down the street, sir, that's more comfortable for Demons. And please put out that cigarette!" Kolby insisted, snatching it from his mouth. He then hastily darted towards the doors to throw it out, customers clapping with appreciation. Sanji turned to look at them, turning on his most displeased expression to scare them.

Law caught Luffy as he lunged at the man, and used a boot to keep Ussop from following. Hearing the snarls behind him, Sanji quit scaring the customers to resume his human air, Luffy slumping with disappointment as Ussop crumbled to the floor, hugging his middle. Law tossed the teen away from him just in time to see Zoro skidding to a stop close by, sweating and welding his three swords with anticipation.

"Calm down, Zoro, false alarm," Luffy said with a dejected sigh. "It's just Sanji playing with our emotions again."

"Ah, shit, why are you here?" Zoro complained, wide shoulders drooping with disappointment. "Why do you do this to us?"

Law turned to look at Sanji as he flipped him off. Kolby returned, wiping his hands on his slacks and gave them all a startled look. "Will you guys stop playing around? If there's a discussion that needs to be had that has this sort of violence in it, can you please excuse yourselves to take it outside? This is upsetting our customers and our ambiance!"

"Sorry, Kolby," Ussop and Luffy chimed piteously.

"Let's go to Nami's office to…talk," Zoro suggested, looking at Sanji with anticipation.

"You're lucky I'm on my best behavior," Sanji warned him as Law agreed to the suggestion, Luffy and Ussop abandoning their station to lead the way. Kolby followed after them with surprise, sputtering a command as he did so.

Nami looked up from her paperwork when they all crammed themselves into her office, which was a small, converted storage room that allowed no one any personal space.

"What the hell is going on, here?" she roared, pushing against her desk as six men ate up the space behind her.

"We have to talk about something, Nami," Luffy grunted against a set of filing cabinets, Ussop pushing against him as Zoro and Sanji snarled at each other, Kolby sucking in as much as he could of himself, thinking that Law needed that much more space due to his large size. To save his dog, Law reached out and placed him atop of Nami's desk, the woman looking at him with utter delight. He held up a paw for her to shake, which she responded to with a squeal. Then she returned her attention to the more important detail.

"Ugh, all of you stink! Freaking men, taking up all my air space!"

"Shut it, Demon! You can suck oxygen out from all of us to breathe, anyway!" Sanji snapped at her.

"You guys again? What the hell? Are we ready to talk about what – _god_ , give me some space, I can't look at you guys!" Nami roared, twisting in her chair in an attempt to see who was all behind her.

"As I explained to the others," Law said, managing to cross his arms, "I needed to see what life is like as an Angel. And I want to be their friend in order to do this."

"What…? _Why_?"

"Nami! He's both! _Both_!" Luffy insisted, flattening himself against the cabinet, then struggling to breathe as Ussop was crushed against him while Zoro elbowed Sanji and Sanji elbowed back. Law's glasses began to fog up, obscuring his vision.

"GET OUT OF HERE, ALL OF YOU!" Nami roared again. Bepo pulled his head back to howl, prompted at the sound of her voice.

"Nami," Kolby said shakily, "it's important that they work this out beyond the sight of the customers! We can't trouble them anymore with this weird conversation they're having. I get that it's a Demon and Angel thing, so I guess it would be important to sort that out amongst yourselves so there's no discrimination case against the company for refusing service."

"I get that, but in here? Take it outside!"

"We can't do that! Otherwise, it'll be troublesome to the company and the customers if a fight should break out! If we're here, we can have a peaceable conversation that can hopefully be solved by the power of skinship!"

"Nobody's sharing skin!"

"We're dying!"

" _I can't breathe_!"

"Luffy's suffocating!"

" _Don't touch me_!"

" _You're_ touching me!"

" _Just talk it out_!" Kolby barked at them. "Fighting uselessly because someone's asking you for your friendship in such a peculiar way is against company policy! I'm doing you a favor here, guys! As a voice of reason and a human, I can help you sort out your problem and resolve conflict by being a neutral party."

"My _fist_ will be a neutral ending to this party if you guys don't get out of here!" Nami threatened.

"Okay look, from what I understand, you're both," Kolby said to Law, seeing that Luffy was excusing himself from the conversation by suffocating, Ussop fretting over him. "I guess you seen too much of the Demon side, so you're looking for an Angel influence. In that case, just get rid of _him_."

"He's not getting rid of me," Sanji hissed at him. "We're married!"

"WE'RE NOT MARRIED!" Law bellowed impatiently. "But that's not an option. All I'm learning so far is that Angels are aggressive and simple-minded, with one clear goal. It's not doing anything to convince me that living the life of an Angel is any better than living the life of a Demon. I want a fair trial with both."

"I can cut your wings off to stop this indecision, just give me the word," Zoro grunted, struggling to bring his swords up but Sanji proceeded to sit on him instead. Both of them snarled and pushed at each other, Ussop crying out with horror as Luffy managed to start sliding in between the filing cabinets. Nami reached up to grip her hair, which was pulled into a loose bun at the top of her head.

"If you're both," she said slowly, thinking about it, "then that gives you both sets of strengths and weaknesses each side has, right?"

"Yes."

She held a pen overhead. "Then sacrifice yourself and know that your death wasn't in vain, just necessary. Both sides will agree to that."

" _I'm_ the only one that gets to kill him," Sanji snarled, managing to get his foot up and kick the pen out of her grasp.

"It's just one simple thing," Law said with a sigh, Kolby struggling to push against the door in order not to touch him out of respect. "Like trying on shoes."

"If you aren't even seeing how being an Angel is a positive thing, then we've already lost you!" Nami snapped at him. "Wait, your guardians are letting you do this?"

"Well…no…thus Sanji's involvement. We're roommates, now," Law explained, jostled as Zoro attempted to shake Sanji from sitting on him.

"Okay, let me get this straight," Kolby interrupted before Nami could speak. Wearing a concentrative expression, he said, "You're _both_ Demon and Angel with Demon guardians that made up most of your life influence, but because you are both you're questioning if the life of an Angel is any different. So you're exploring the life of Angels with a Demon roommate – "

"My wings are clipped, so I'm not actually a Demon?" Sanji called out, arm raised to catch Colby's attention.

"Then why can you still call us with your damned Demon aura?" Zoro snarled, finally managing to dislodge him.

"Because I'm _special_!"

"A special case!"

"…who is _still_ a Demon regardless," Kolby concluded slowly. "The way I see it, sir, you're going about this all wrong. Normally, Angel behavior dictates their actions – they were created with the intention of eliminating Demons. The best way to find out if you can live as an Angel is if you eliminate your roommate."

Sanji paused upon hearing that, and suddenly found himself focus of three sets of very hungry Angel faces turning his way. He grew very aware of his position, exhaling slowly in an effort to calm his panicked race of the heart. Nami wore a thoughtful expression, resting her elbows on her desk in order to pet Bepo.

"I mean, it should be easy, right?" Kolby asked, shrugging. "That's the natural law of these things. Can you do that?"

" _No_ ," Law said slowly, both aghast and excited at the thought.

"Then you _can't_ live an Angel life! Both of you guys can't do one thing without the other, and it doesn't make sense if you can't do this one thing to try out another. You get what I'm saying?"

"So, live life as a Demon, and get the hell out of my office!" Nami shouted impatiently. " _All of you_!"

"I see," Law said slowly. "I suppose that makes sense. I am learning that there is no such thing as black and white as either or."

"I'm telling you, you're fine!" Sanji growled. "Changing things now won't bring you any type of satisfaction – only I can!"

"This is important to me! Because if I choose to live the life of a Demon, I'll still have this want to explore the Angel side – "

"So you want a wife, but still want a side chick?" Nami asked suspiciously. "Because that's what it sounds like to me!"

"NO!"

"I am the _only_ one you can have!" Sanji snarled at him. "I'll kill all your side chicks!"

" _All I ask_ ," Law repeated firmly, "is that I'm allowed a chance to hang out with the group of you to see how it is. That is all!"

"You can't hang with us with this loser," Zoro complained, using an elbow to drive down atop of Sanji's head.

"We've made a deal, Sanji and I," Law said, Sanji furrowing his brow as he struggled to think of what he'd agreed to, "because of his odd behavior, he's to try out the lifestyle as well."

All of them laughed uproariously as Sanji scowled. Law managed to look back at him, wearing a hopeful expression. "Right? This is what we agreed upon?"

And because Sanji couldn't say 'no' to that face, he grunted.

"So seriously, can we just fight him, now?" Luffy wheezed, stretching his head up towards the ceiling and taking a deep breath.

Law didn't say anything for a few moments, Sanji looking at him suspiciously. He could only see his side profile, eyelashes moving during a blink. He reached out and gripped his elbow, growling low, "You better not be looking at her boobs from this angle! Not when you could be looking at mine!"

Nami cried out with shock, covering herself until she remembered she was wearing a full coverage company shirt, Law turning to give Sanji an embarrassed look.

He reached out and retrieved Bepo, who licked him to comfort him. Resounding " _Awwww's_ " burst forward from the Angels, with Zoro's deep voice releasing, "He's so cute!"

Pushing his head against his dog's, Law said low, "Be a good boy. Daddy's got to do something that can't be avoided, and it's going to be scary. So be brave."

"This is the thing we need to see a marriage counselor for," Sanji grumbled. To Zoro he said, "He loves his dog more than he loves me."

"Dog looks and smells better than you, so I fully understand."

"Sanji." Law turned to look at him, holding Bepo pensively. "Both of you work together on this. I trust you."

Sanji gave him a puzzled look. " _Huh_?"

Law gave him Bepo, who immediately attacked Sanji in a flurry of teeth and snarls.

"Ha ha! He's so adorable! Look at him, protecting his master!" Luffy laughed in delight.

"Bepo. Be nice," Law commanded, reaching for the door as the dog reacted with a whine. Sanji held him at arm's length away, revealing reddened bite marks on his jaw and chin.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Kolby asked as all of them gave Law puzzled looks.

Once out in a suitable shipping and receiving area, Law removed his glasses and set them into his jacket. Then he shifted form, causing Sanji and the Angels to look up at him with dumb action. Kolby and Nami looked bewildered once the large man disappeared from their sight, Nami finally pushing her chair back to escape the confinements of her desk.

"Whatever is going on," she started to say when the trio of Angels suddenly took on that familiar manic expression of eager determination, all of them lunging over Sanji in an effort to change.

" _Not here_!" Kolby screamed in apprehension, racing out. "Not here! Don't fight here! Don't do this!"

"If I can't live as an Angel," Law said, allowing his complete Demon side to take over. His form reflected that – most of the white areas on his hellish body was eaten up by black, reforming over the armor plating to appear as slick oil stains; the half smile turned down, eyes turning a deep grey. Sanji fell in love all over again, dropping Bepo as awe rendered him utterly dumb. The dog complained as he fell, but he settled on his haunches to look upward, clearly seeing his master.

"Then maybe I should eliminate them completely."

"He is so _beautiful_ ," Sanji whispered, folding his hands up to his face as Nami looked at him.

"What's happening?" she demanded. "What's going on?"

"My gorgeous stain of mass destruction! Show those twat Angels what you're made of!" Sanji yelled out, prancing out from the office once the three changed.

Luffy became a white, glimmering stretch of outlandish limbs, face elongating with a strong chin and ears emerging as elven shaped. His hair nearly disappeared until they were only tufts, his scar remerging underneath his left eye. His teeth emerged as rectangular growths that were placed almost randomly along a white grin. His wings were sharp and tipped with mangled feathers, but his long fingered hands and feet gripped into the cement floor so he could curl himself into a jumping position.

Zoro's tankish form was in similar color, with narrower wings and a curving tail that curled behind him like a dragon's. His thick shoulders and upper body were carved out of glittery armor plates that bore various scars deep into the bone. His swords appeared as claw-like appendages, stained with Demon's blood. His face plate rounded into a simple mask with twin horns spiking outward from his temples, another growing slowly between his brows. His teeth disappeared until forming a perfectly round hole below several nose slits.

Ussop was a collection of shimmery bones, with one arm longer than the other, fingers shaped into a slingshot like appendage that had pieces of intestines hanging from it. His nose was long and sharply tipped, his eyeholes emblazoned with separate eyelids that blinked individually. His teeth were clipped into sharp points, his chin carved with mounds of rectangular teeth.

Looking at all of them, Sanji shivered with utter disgust. "And they say Demons are monsters? These things look like something I've shit, before."

Nami gave him an impatient look as Bepo barked. "Why's he doing this?" she asked. "A new form suddenly deciding the fight three conditioned Angel fighters? He's going to die."

"Nah, if he can drop a god, he can drop these idiots. _Easy_ ," Sanji added with confidence, remembering to grab Bepo's leash.

"These guys never lose," Nami retorted. "And he's picking a fight to solve his little identity problem."

Sanji couldn't understand what Law was thinking, feel apprehensive as Luffy shot forward, releasing a high pitched roar that made the building shake.

"NOT _HERE_!" Kolby screamed, hands over his ears. Because both Angels and Demons were invisible to human sight, their physics allowing them to evade most human understanding, the aftermath of a battle was really the only thing that allowed humans a guess that a battle was taking place. But sounds tended to leak through.

The back end of the building burst to reveal the city beyond it, causing him to scream with apprehension. Sanji quickly ran after the battle, Nami following close behind.

"Kick his ass, you guys!" Nami roared.

Law caught Luffy in mid-spring and sent him flying blocks away before using his wing and arms to block Zoro's swing of his swords. The clash of their bodies sent a rumble through the area, windows shaking mightily. Feeling the pure strength behind the Angel's attack, Law set himself firmly to push, then quickly ducked and twisted underneath Zoro's arms to grab his tail. He kicked the Angel to the side while holding onto his tail, using the rebound to jerk Zoro off his feet, relying on his weight to slam him down onto the street. He stepped over Zoro's fallen form and lunged at Ussop, who shrieked as he evaded Law's grasp.

But Law picked him up with his telekinesis instead, and whipped him around to slam into Zoro, who was charging at him from behind. Both of them sailed over a few buildings and crashed down in a rumble of sound. Luffy slammed into Law from the side, wrapping his legs around Law several times. Law stumbled but caught himself – thanks to Sanji's glomping action, he learned how to level and support both of their weight – drawing his arm up to cover his face from Luffy's fists.

His main arm covered his face while his attached arm reached out and allowed his fingers to curl around Luffy's neck with a strong clench. Luffy strangled, fists slowing down to give Law enough time to draw his sword. Instead of shimmering brilliantly with combined power, it shrieked shrilly with hellish voices, absorbing light around it to appear stark black. One of Luffy's feet untangled from Law's waist to kick out and plant itself against the sword's hilt.

Beyond them, Sanji could see Zoro racing back to the scene, giving a loud growl of anticipation. Watching this fight was like seeing a hapless street dog being ganged up by others; holding his own, but eventually fated to fall. So it caused him great distress and anxiety to see Zoro slamming into Law and Luffy with a mighty double leg takedown, all three of them crashing into the streets with a loud rumble.

He began racing in that direction, Bepo tucked under one arm. Nami followed him, determined to see that her three friends made it through. In unison, their cellphones chimed up with the familiar warning notification that the city released in the event of a battle.

Sanji could hear their voices ringing out – the near rabid shouts of the Angels as they wanted their victory, Law's own demonic promises to kill them all. It made windows rattle as someone took to the air, thrown over the buildings overhead and crash landing some blocks away. The clash of swords occurred once more – one screaming demonically, while the other shrieked with a sort of brass instrument declaration. Once he was able to see them, standing in the midst of a park, he saw that Law was fending off Zoro's swords while Ussop clung to him, attempting to cover his eyes to give Zoro an advantage.

Law's wings spread, beating down on Ussop as he took to the air. Zoro followed, Luffy zipping by with a cry of joy. Both of them managed to bring Law back down to the ground, all of them dogpiling atop of the Demon with ferocious roars. They began gnawing on Law's wings, stretching out his neck, yanking at his horns in an effort to get at his vulnerable places. Comparable to seeing a pack of dogs doing their best to eliminate an enemy.

Instead of reveling of with joy at the sight, utter terror filled Sanji in a way he couldn't explain. It was like watching his own death before his own eyes. He ran out into the park, where people scattered because park equipment, trees, electric poles began crashing and flattening around them.

Seeing that Law couldn't get up, struggling to do so with all four arms, Sanji thought that he could change form and jump in to assist. But that brief moment flashed back to the mall scene that made his decision in the first place – it held him back.

"They're _winning_! I recognize that damage!" he heard Nami crow from behind him. "Get that Demon, guys!"

Struggling to think how he could distract the Angels for a moment Law could use, Sanji whipped his head around to search for something large enough to catch their attention. He heard Bepo whining in his arm, and looked at him. An idea hit him, and he raced as close to the fight as he safely could – the sight of Law's double arms straining against immense weight of those atop of him gave Sanji caution to move quickly if he needed to.

He grabbed Bepo with both hands, hearing the hungry noises the Angels were emitting against the single Demon's cries of frustration.

"Do your best tricks!" he shouted at the dog. He tossed him to the grass, Bepo catching himself with a startled bark. "Get their attention, you damn mutt! JUMP, damn you! Show those assholes what you can do!"

Bepo looked back at him with a head tilt, then looked up at the scene above him. He was confused, whining anxiously as he heard the cries of his master, but Sanji was screaming at him at the same time to do what he knew he could do best. Bepo hopped into the air with high pitched barks, kicking his back legs to the side.

He danced around the double arms, leaping high and crying out before walking briefly on his back legs.

Sure enough, Ussop caught sight of him. He lost his attention on Law's wings to watch the Pomeranian showing off his talent, and emitted a high pitched cry of approval that caught the attention of the others.

Luffy and Zoro lifted their heads to see Bepo kicking his back legs to the side while remaining upright – both of them cooed and eased away from Law in an effort to pine over the creature with delight.

Sanji could hear their voices in his head: " _So cute_!" "Look at his little hops!" "His precious little body looks so adorable in that sweater!" "Do a flip!" "Aw, someone give him a treat!"

Their distraction allowed Law to fling them off, so Sanji darted in and snatched Bepo up, running like mad to escaping the shifting weight above him and avoid settling limbs that the creatures made to catch themselves. All at once, Law sent them flying away from him, struggling for breath. He looked mangled, wings fluttering limply, obviously torn and injured. He had teeth marks around his neck and arms, bleeding a black liquid that spilled and damaged the grass below.

With Bepo panting loudly at his ear, Sanji shouted up at him, "You're too _stupid_ and overconfident to see that you can't win this! You don't have enough damn experience, you shitty piece of work! Get out of there!"

" _Wait_ ," Law growled back, turning to face Luffy as he shot in once again. He caught the teen and slammed him down, using his sword to run him through. The Angel shrieked shrilly as he was pinned to the lawn by the sword that emitted hungry slurping noises. Then he tilted and twisted his fingers in order to draw Zoro in, holding him in place while his second pair of arms gripped and peeled armor plating from his chest to open up the vulnerable skin behind it. Then he used his wings to curl around him and shoved them straight in, opening to create a life threatening wound to the Angel. He dropped him once he felt that damage was significant enough, the tankish Angel curling up on the street with roars of pain. Ussop was nowhere to be seen, and Law struggled for breath once more as both Angels emitted shrieks of terrible pain.

He took a few seconds to stomp on Zoro, ripping away a wing and causing a terrible cry to ring out from the Angel. Sanji automatically winced, shivering; it was similar to seeing a man being kicked in the balls, and he could feel it on his own back. Bepo licked him in an attempt to comfort him.

Then Law jerked the sword messily from Luffy, making that Angel scream noisily in response. He made to cut his wings when Luffy managed a roll away, forcing Law to cut through them only halfway. A bright flare of light slammed into Law from the side, sending him flying. The explosion rocked nearby buildings, the aftershock sending Sanji tumbling head over feet, cradling Bepo against him in an effort to protect him.

Once he caught himself, the dog whining against his chest, he saw that Ussop was standing over his friends protectively, armed with another explosive that burned the air and made breathing difficult. Sanji covered the dog's nose and mouth and put distance between himself and the Angels, where he felt comfortable to breathe.

He found Law resting on one knee, panting tightly over the remains of a fast food place. People were scattering from underneath him, where blood spilled with frightening strength onto the establishment.

" _Human_! Turn human!" Sanji shouted breathlessly, hoping that any damage Law had retained from the fight would be fixed in a hospital.

Instead, the Demon shifted into Angel form. White, glittery skin took over the oily stains of his Demon form, and his hands glowed brightly as he touched tender areas. Sanji realized Law was healing himself, and by revealing his Angel side, the other Angels were reluctant to attack again. He couldn't see them, but their angry cries had subsided significantly.

" _Dumbass_!" Sanji shouted at the Angel that lifted his smiling face plate up to see him. "What the hell were you thinking?"

The Angel lunged towards him with the tonal cry of discovery, but Bepo emitted a shriek of alarm, peeing on Sanji in his own terror. That sound seemed to shake Law out of his intention, and he resumed his half and half form in front of the pair while Sanji stood frozen, sure he'd just looked his own death in the face.

Moments later Law resumed human form, resting palms on knees while his clothes bore widening circles of spreading blood.

"Isn't that an eye opener?" he said breathlessly.

Sanji slapped him across the head, unable to understand why this had happened in the first place. "For someone smart, you lack a lick of sense!"

Bepo leapt from his arms and run to his master, crying anxiously until Law picked him up and held him with comfort. He then gave Sanji an impatient look. "I risked the idea that perhaps they'd want to be friends if I fought them instead, thereby earning their attention and respect. Because I won, I earned a way into their friendship circle much easier than just following them around, begging for their attention."

Sanji wasn't sure what face to make as he stared at him. "But you almost attacked me back there," he said slowly, recapturing Law's attention, "what if this doesn't work out?"

Law looked back at him and realized Sanji was wearing an uncomfortable expression. It was startling to see that the Demon needed reassurance and comfort; even more so that he felt compelled to actually support him. He noticed the stench coming from Sanji, and set Bepo down with a firm command for him to stay. He removed his jacket and t-shirt, revealing more tattoos and nearly being splattered by Sanji's gushing nose.

"Take this, sorry he peed on you," Law said, handing him his shirt. He pulled his jacket back on and zipped up so people wouldn't be offended looking at him. "I think this will work. Both of us just have to work on being and thinking like an Angel. You just have to try really hard, Sanji. It's in you to do this, so let's do this."

"I'm not like you, Law," Sanji reminded him, somewhat gently. "I'm a Demon."

"You said you suffered through an identity crisis – maybe during that period of all your drug use, you were going through something like what I'm going through, now," Law reasoned.

Sanji was sure there were other reasons for that period, but he removed his pee soaked shirt and pulled on Law's with an eager inhale. He shivered violently, hugging himself. Satisfied with this, Law led the way to the Angels.

"To further cement my chance at their friendship, I shall now go heal them."

: :

The three of them sat together with shell-shocked faces as Law finished his task, Bepo administering comfort. Sanji sat at a distance, smoking sullenly. The trio was bloodied and temporarily bandaged, and were just informed that the fight was an effort to get their positive attention.

"So…you almost _killed_ us to get us to _like_ you?" Zoro clarified, the most wounded out of all of them.

Ussop didn't know what to say while Luffy considered Law's intentions.

"It was the only way to get you to notice me," Law responded evenly. "Did it work?"

"I…wow…hmmm…"

"Like, it was cool and all, but…I think there are other ways to go around asking to be someone's friend," Ussop said slowly.

Luffy shrugged. "Well, _I guess_! I mean…I guess we were ignoring you pretty bad just to get to your Demon buddy, so now that we see you…"

"I almost _died_ ," Zoro stated firmly to Luffy. "I almost _died_ , and it was only so we could be friends."

Luffy laughed then clutched his chest painfully.

"You guys weren't listening to me at all," Law stated. "I reasoned that because you are all a group of brutes that are most likely to listen to physical statements rather than verbal, I'd reach you in this manner."

"Haha! Yeah, we are a little bullish!" Luffy laughed again.

"I admit, it's easier understanding something when it's delivered that way," Zoro admitted sheepishly.

"Oh you guys, you're a couple of idiots!" Ussop sighed.

"But if you're wanting to hang with us, Law, it's going to be a little difficult for us to concentrate if Sanji's around," Luffy then expressed with concern. "Just knowing he's there makes us a little batty."

"Sanji doesn't behave like a normal Demon – I'm including him in this favor. We're going to do our best at taking on an Angel lifestyle."

They looked at him skeptically, then at the Demon a short distance away. He was sniffing at the collar of his shirt and looking so lost in some fantasy of his that it looked disturbing. Zoro and Luffy traded skeptical looks while Ussop looked concerned. Even Bepo tilted his head with doubt.

"It'll work!" Law insisted.


	12. Chapter 12

**Naghi-Tan:** Maybe…if each learns to share!

 **Sarge 1130** : He's more adaptable than one thinks ;D and sneaky! It's all those video games he plays, needing more challenges and satisfaction once he passes a certain level haha! Despite what they thought, Angels are easily distracted if an object is cute enough

 **Fyoyaran** : Zoro's always ready to rumble! No matter where and under what condition XD Law has taken Sanji on as a personal project, it seems. And more ; ) Idk, Bepo might be a little more jealous than Sanji is!

 _ **Chapter Twelve**_

* * *

In the parking lot the next morning, Law sat in the driver's seat and stared out the windshield with a dazed expression. Something was wrong with him. Out of all the events that had happened in the past few days, only one thing seemed to stick out the most; the sight of Sanji looking at him with distress when he'd expressed his true worry about being in the company of Angels. It had been such a pure, true expression, unsullied by his goofy faces; it was of absolute vulnerability. A wholesome Angel purity that was similar to feeling empathy when shown pictures of crying children in hospitals and grandparents cuddling their great grandchildren.

But it had struck a chord in him, tinging out whenever he thought about that moment, twisting his heart in a way that prompted his difficult to reach empathy spaces to react. It was a confusing matter because he was fairly certain that it was something more than he felt for a friend or a stranger. He was sure that if his friends had given the same expression, he'd only feel a need to comfort him surface-wise, but nothing deeper than that. Maybe similar to hugging and crooning Bepo whenever Law accidently stepped on him.

Yes, that was a similar comparison. But it was strange to feel that way for a human.

A human male. A male stalker, a _pervert_ who Law had caught sniffing his dirty clothes and sucking off the remaining moisture from his toothpaste.

He cringed, clutching his steering wheel in both hands.

Yes, Sanji was a weird, perverted stalker that had no qualms in hiding his feelings, but had a strangely attractive aura to him that Law couldn't help but notice. At the same time, his Demon side found it delicious because he could fully take advantage of that vulnerability and _ruin_ him –

No, he didn't want to think that way, right now. He had to think like an Angel. This was his goal. No more taking suggestions and power from what his Demon side felt or thought.

 _This is it_ , he realized. This is the pinnacle to a movie where the protagonist realizes his feelings for someone he'd never thought he could earn or have in someone right in front of him.

He jumped at the knock on his passenger side window, and looked over to see Shachi indicating for him to open up. Since it had been a couple of days since he'd seen him, having not prepared himself to see his friends because of this, Law unlocked his doors.

"Hey, stranger," Shachi said, climbing in. "You're back!"

"Yes," Law said awkwardly, struggling to get his thoughts in order.

"Where've you been? Avoiding us?"

"Not exactly. A lot of things happened where it was…impossible to…" His thoughts jumbled, Law trailed off with an uncomfortable expression. Shachi just looked at him with examination.

"I get it, it must be rough," he said slowly. "But…I think most of us get it, now. This is something you have to do."

 _What, accept that I have weird feelings_? Law thought with confusion.

"Exploration of an unknown deviant will eventually lead you to a path that's more comfortable to walk on," Shachi continued, blowing into his hands. He figured saying this would help Law feel more comfortable with himself.

Law realized he was remembering how Sanji's cut wings looked like in the early morning darkness. The garish veins leading up to the black stems, the way shadows cut into his ribs…he'd found it so attractive to react over that maybe this was only the discomfort in admitting to himself that he was attracted.

"It's not something that easy to accept," he said slowly.

"I guess not if you haven't tried it before, or even had that much experience," Shachi agreed. "But I think the more you accept it into your life, it'll get easier."

 _Is he suggesting that I give into Sanji's attention_? Law thought with panic.

"It's…a little scary, considering that I never gave thought to it, before. I was just idealizing the traditional, mainstream acceptance because everyone else was," Law said sluggishly.

Shachi considered his words, furrowing his brow behind his transition glasses. He thought about how persuasive Doflamingo and Corazon was, and figured Law had been set in his standards into following their way of life. So to think he had options as a shoulder devil was definitely different. He supposed Law was tentative about things.

"Well, we're at an age and time where things are more open and acceptable beyond what was considered the norm," Shachi said. "So for you to consider these new things, I think it's all right that you feel scared."

 _They had a difficult time accepting that I'm a shoulder devil_ , Law thought, _but they're easily accepting of a male-male relationship_?

"Well," he said cautiously, "it's new to me, so I'm unsure of where I'm going. I'm just now acknowledging these things. I accept that I'm…engrossed with the concept but it's still…derailing what I knew of myself."

Shachi looked at him with understanding. He considered that Law was talking about opening up his Angel way of thinking. So he nodded with empathy. "I guess you would be."

"On the other hand, am I appointing too much time on this? Perhaps I should be looking at it in a similar manner as I had with my original plan," Law then said thoughtfully. "You're right about this new age – what I was thinking was archaic and outdated. I am not part of the crowd, so why should I continue thinking like that?"

"You're right! You've made your own decisions on your own matter that counts towards a situation only you can embrace! No matter what anyone says, man, I'll be here to support you," Shachi said with confidence. "Along with Jean Bart and Hudson. Ptarmigan, too. Penguin…well…you know how stubborn he is, but I'm sure he'll come around."

"You wouldn't mind if I…I mean, is it going to…affect what you already think of me?"

"No! I mean, you can't help yourself if you were already preordained this way from birth, so…it's like your skin. You can't change it."

 _Was I_? Law questioned himself. _Was that why I wasn't able to find a wife before this_?

"You just have to embrace it! Just take it as it comes!" Shachi said positively, making a fist. "Go with the flow! If something inside of you is telling you you want to do this, then why is it wrong? It's there, which means this is something you want, and the only thing holding you back is yourself. Being scared of it won't help you any – just like you do in games, just throw yourself in there and take what comes!"

Thinking of it that way, Law nodded thoughtfully. If things didn't work out between himself and Sanji, then at least he could look back and be satisfied that he'd at least tried. He wasn't a coward.

"You're right," he said. "I started thinking this way for a reason. I should explore it to the limits of my own comfort until it either grows troublesome or it potentially changes into something more agreeable. Just like it would if I'd followed a traditional path."

"That's the spirit! So go in there and do your shoulder devil thing - !"

"I'll tell Sanji that we can start dating -"

Talking over each other, both of them froze once they realized they weren't on the same page. They looked at each other with starts, silence hanging heavily between them as horror registered.

"What are you talking about?"

"I thought we were talking about this other thing!"

"How did this happen?"

"It just did!"

"You had a crazy two days away from us," Shachi huffed, hands to his heart while Law grew mortified with revealing something he hadn't been prepared to. "Okay, okay, okay, hold on – this is fine, too! If this is something you want to try, what's the harm in that?"

"Us killing each other. Literally."

Shachi absorbed that with wide eyes, but he accepted it because this was a new world, now, considering that Law was both Demon and Angel.

"Well, _me_ killing _him_ ; whether out of defense or excitement," Law admitted, Shachi's eyes growing wider with how casual that was given. "Probably both."

"Okay, well…I'm sure that's…that's acceptable now, because of who you are," Shachi muttered uncomfortably. "But uh…hm. Maybe try getting to know him, first."

"I moved in with him."

"WHAT?"

Law gave him a short hand version of what happened so Shachi processed that, clutching the passenger seat with both hands. After Law was finished, Shachi looked at Law with consideration.

"You know…last week we were sitting at the pizza parlor, not really having any true excitement in our lives other than the next Battle Royale or mid-term, and here you are, a combination Angel-Devil considering a same sex relationship with a Demon that draws in as much trouble as a…plucky rom-com heroine," Shachi said. "It's a huge change but…it's exciting. It's new, it's…something you should stick with. Because we haven't had any trace of…well, any hope of a life that someone else could look into and want a part of…what's holding you back?"

"He's a weirdo and I'm not. He's a _he_."

"And that's what makes you uncomfortable? Then why even considering dating him, then?"

Law examined his hands nervously. "I'm not comfortable talking about that aspect, yet."

Shachi shrugged a shoulder. "So is this why you're hesitating to carry on with your normal life? Are you thinking of abandoning all your schooling to…explore things?"

"It's an information overload. I don't know if I can concentrate on my tasks, here."

"Was that you last night? Making a mess around seventeenth and Broadway?"

"Yes. I forced three Angels to be my friends. And because of Sanji's tendencies, I want him to explore this with me because I suspect he's a lot like me."

"Oh. I'm assuming it went well."

"It had. We are going to hang out after my last class."

"Well…I guess I fulfilled my part of the deal in some odd way," Shachi said airily.

"What sort of deal did Sanji make with you?"

"Oh, I'd…in exchange for information, I told him I'd help him woo you, but you made the decision yourself, so…"

"…What kind of friend are you?"

Shachi laughed, climbing out from the car. "C'mon. Let's tell the guys what you've been up to. I assure you, after Hudson revealed he reads and watches BL, this will be easily accepted."

Law exhaled shortly. With how positive Shachi was, it felt all right to have revealed these things to him. It seemed like he hadn't made a mistake. It felt good!

But he grabbed his bag and climbed out to join him.

"So, are you going to continue wearing your Demon Glamour if you're living the Angel life?" Shachi asked curiously.

"Yes. It'd be weird if I suddenly showed up on campus looking as if I, too, was under Doffy's surgeon's knife."

"Yeah, true."

: :

"Are you ready for some fun?" Luffy cried as soon as he saw them.

It had been arranged for them to meet the group at a mini-golf and fun center, and Law had heard Sanji muttering about misplacing his Xanax when he'd found out. The Demon was dragging his feet as Law prepared himself for what seemed like an uneasy evening in his first venture into Angel territory. The fun center was a bowling alley, mini-golf, go cart racing and other accessorized play stations that Law would have never considered visiting. Mainly because of the crowded people population, the screams of children and for the fact that most of them demanded high energy physical activity.

It sucked the soul out of him at first, but if this is the sort of fun that Angels enjoyed, then he had to at least dip a foot in it. He nodded gravely. "I am ready."

"Sanji?" Luffy cried in the same excited voice. "Are you prepared to walk on the wild side?"

"I've already accepted that I'd die an early death," Sanji sighed tiredly. Law glanced at him so he perked up, struggling for a positive expression. "But let's do this!"

As Luffy cheered, Sanji hissed to Law, "If you see a trash can big enough, slaughter me and stuff me in it."

"You _promised_ to try," Law whispered back. "If that situation did happen, I'd lock you in the ballpit with children."

Sanji spit out his cigarette. He strode on ahead. "How dare you think this is an easy task for a Demon to adapt to Angel life? Mini golfing and bowling? That only encourages death and destruction!"

"Then don't lose," Luffy replied, looking at him with gritted teeth, straining to hold himself back. He leaned in to sniff at him, Sanji hurriedly batting him away. "MMmmm you smell like something I'd like to hide away in my room and eat in secret under the bedsheets until my brothers come in looking for me!"

"Ugh, that sounds disgusting."

"Wait until they try to fight me for their share!"

Sanji then considered it with a rub of his chin. "Hmm, sounds kinky…"

"Ugh, they're my _brothers_ ," Luffy said impatiently. "There are laws against that, Sanji!"

"Not amongst Demons!"

"Don't make me eat you! You're looking _extremely_ delectable!"

"There are rules, gentlemen," Nami interrupted, stepping between them. "First off, you two must leave your Demon shells at the gate. Sanji, honey, if you don't want to be eaten, then I suggest you follow your instincts. You'll be surrounded by Angels that won't hesitate to lay into you like a hapless seal caught on a sheet of ice with killer whales circling it."

Sanji shivered.

Nami looked at Law. " _Change_."

Law looked at Sanji apprehensively. Sanji gestured at him to hurry up before following after Luffy as the teen called for the others' attention. At the sight of all of them looking at Sanji hungrily, Law felt the first edges of uncertainty. He'd come to terms with his earlier decision with Shachi, so now he was feeling bad with the choice to do this with Sanji. But he'd convinced himself that this was good for both of them – instead of using drugs and 'bad behavior' to cope with his identity issues, maybe being immersed in it would help Sanji settle his Angel tendencies and help him open up to the thought that he was exactly like Law.

At the same time, having never really lived as an Angel made him feel he had very real uncontrollable urges that might destroy any chance he had to follow through with his decision. What if he wound up raging out of control to kill the closest Demon possible just because he was there?

Nami looked at him pointedly, hands on her hips. She was wearing some sort of leggings and sweater combination that didn't really hide her curves, so men were hurting their necks turning to look at her. At one point, Law had thought she would've been an idea physical representation of what he'd wanted in a woman – but now she was just scary and intimidating.

But he removed the Glamour and allowed his Angel side to take over. The fun center became a different sight – full of fun and potential adventure that sounded exciting.

Nami looked at him with surprise, momentarily rocked by his outrageously good looks. He approached them looking like an overweight poser in a spotted hat and hooded sweater and pants that should not belong to a man of that stature, but now he was perfectly fitted in an approachable appearance that gave endearment to females of all ages; his glasses were in the way, so she removed them for him.

"Looking good, stranger!" she said, tucking them into his back pocket, hearing Sanji yell indignantly. She giggled and walked with Law to the others.

When Law looked at Sanji, he felt an immediate difference doing so – there was something extremely scrumptious about the other man; something that made him slightly excited and eager that he couldn't explain. In Angel vision, he saw an attractive younger man that seemed to shimmer with a bad boy allure; a taste of something wild and unexpected. At the same time Law felt aggressive towards him, wanting something from him that he couldn't explain – whether it was physical or mental, he _wanted_ it. If it meant tearing apart his competition through the use of group singing, dancing, poisoning bake sales with laxatives and casually flattening tires so one was late on their way to their date with him, allowing him a chance to scoot in to make a better impression -

"Normally I'd get excited with you looking at me like that, but you kept that shit up, and I will break your goddamn perfect jaw and rearrange your damn face to resemble Doflamingo's," Sanji warned him warily, tensing up.

"Sorry," Law apologized sheepishly, but it was hard taking his eyes away from him. He blushed awkwardly. "It's just…I'm seeing you differently, so…"

"Like a delicious meal!" Luffy cut in with a whisper, leaning on Law supportively.

Sanji made a bitter face and walked in to escape Law's uncomfortably predatory expression in his direction. _Seal on thin ice_ , he told himself cynically.

Grumbling at the change, Sanji stuffed his hands into his pockets and struggled for indifference. He had to keep himself from feeling any type of negative way to avoid the hungry attention from the others, but he could tell this was going to be difficult. The ambiance in the group changed with the confident attention Law added to them – it felt like walking into a locker room of pumped athletes that were primed to jump at a moment's notice. Full of overconfident behavior and good cheer – both overwhelming things. He felt like he was backstage to a song and dance romantic comedy where he was the creepy outcast.

They went to the bowling alley first – jokes and light ribbing over each other's ability made them stand out. Over the cheery pop music and laughter, they invited suitable attention from others. Strangers wandered over to try their hand at getting their attention, flirting commenced, challenges were issued – Sanji had to walk away to get his bearings once he felt the cold, hard edges of jealousy over watching Law get the positive attention he'd wanted. Seeing teenagers and older women joke and fawn over him made Sanji's temperament want to burst forward.

But he found the bar area and ordered a coke, drinking most of it quickly to drown the hot feelings in him. Bored males conversed lightly over the game being shown on the television, and he watched with a bored expression, struggling not to look over at the group he'd abandoned.

He wasn't like Law – he couldn't find it within himself to switch over to find the good mood that was expected of him. He could have his own sense of enjoyment if he were free to be himself, but controlling that part of him was extremely difficult while immersed in Angel company. So remaining indifferent and aloof was all he could do. Besides, while hard to see Law in the company he'd wanted, Sanji felt good for him. He clearly didn't know what to do with the attention, but it was something he'd yearned for, so having it made Sanji feel good about it. It just made him that much more apprehensive that Law would find this life suitable and completely switch over to it.

He was sucking down another coke when Zoro sat down next to him and ordered a beer.

"Keeping yourself in check?" he asked.

"It's fucking shitty."

"Or are you just jealous?"

"What's the difference?"

"You know, you're weird," Zoro pointed out, taking his cup. "You got clipped wings but you're still a Demon."

"It's not the first time I been called that, so, whatever."

"So, what's in it for you?" Zoro asked curiously. "Hanging out with a half and half. There's some deviant behavior going on there."

"Nothing. I just want to fuck the shit out of him."

Zoro choked on his beer, letting it spill onto the counter as Sanji signaled for another coke.

"Choke on his pubes, die from my own intestinal stabbing with his severed dick, die of asphyxiation caused by swallowing his tongue– "

"Can't you say something normal? You bastard!"

"Or, romantically, commission to have a sex robot made with his skin – "

"Shut up! I know how you Demons work, you sick bags of soul sucking trash!" Zoro insisted, jabbing Sanji's forehead with a thumb. Sanji jerked away.

"You would, because you have one hanging out with you," Sanji hissed, glaring in Nami's direction. She found a group of teenagers to attend to her needs, all of them fumbling all over each other to provide her with snacks, free tickets to various other activities and money from some lost bet she'd made with them.

"Yeah, I know," Zoro agreed, giving her a skeptic look while he signaled for another beer. "I've been telling those guys for years that she's flying under the radar, but they don't believe me. They think she's naturally rich."

Sanji looked away bitterly because it irritated him how a couple of older women had Law cornered in their booth, talking loudly and laughing while he said something that was probably dull and boring. Everyone's voices around him was high pitched and whining, jabbing deep recesses in his brain – the sickening feeling of fun and cheer was eating at his stomach. He felt like he was literally rotting in place and there was nothing he could do about it because he was a stubborn fool.

He looked at Zoro's beer as he finished what was left of his first cup. It had been nearly a year since he'd had a drop of alcohol.

"Want one?" Zoro asked him, noticing his look.

"One year sober."

"Sucks to be you. You Demons never know how to control yourselves, properly."

"That's obviously a lie! You see me sitting here, on my best fucking behavior just so I can prove myself to a fucking loser who is just going to leave me, anyway!" Sanji exclaimed, gesturing at himself. For a moment he considered his words, then shook his head as he pushed his coke away. "Fuck it. Do a shot with me."

"Hey, I don't want to be the one that fucks up your dry spell – "

"It's not going to be that big of a deal! Besides, I need to remain on good behavior, otherwise you guys will freak out the moment I express my mind! One little shot isn't going to kill anybody!"

Zoro shrugged, and waited for their drinks. He slugged his back and Sanji hesitated as he stared at the small glass. He then looked to Law, seeing him chuckling and enjoying his time with his new friends – Sanji exhaled sharply and threw it back, cursing at the burn. They then sat there in silence for some time, watching the game.

The liquor burned its way through his veins and slowed his thoughts. Depending on what he was using at the time, alcohol had always opened him up to be looser lipped fella that said anything and everything no matter the circumstances. The night would either end in a fight or several – some he'd remember, some he didn't. But it always wound up the same way, and he found himself regretting that moment of weakness.

 _Seal on a thin sheet of ice_ , he repeated to himself. Did he want to see his mother looking at him in that pitiful way she had when she'd intervened the last time?

It had been awhile since he thought of his mother.

"I'm going to go talk to my mom," he decided, slipping off the stool after slapping some money down. Zoro looked at him with surprise.

"You have a mom? You weren't born from sewer smoke?" he asked on a bewildered tone.

"Shut up!"

"What about your buddy?"

"He's a grown man," Sanji waved off Zoro's question, digging out his cellphone. He lit up a cigarette once he was outside, finding her number. Once he activated a call, he waited to hear her voice on the other end, feeling crabby with the constant foot traffic coming in and out of the doors nearby. So he ventured away from them to find a quiet spot to talk.

Sola didn't answer, and he figured she wouldn't because it would just be another troublesome call from him. He rubbed his face, needing that depressing reminder of why he was alone. He felt like he'd regained some bars on his energy level after being inside of the fun center for as long as he had. He smoked another cigarette and headed inside – he supposed while Law was having his fill of Angel behavior, Sanji could keep himself distracted with doing his own thing.

An hour later, he was busy charming ladies in the mini-golf area while pissing off their dates. He was on the ninth green with a small group of giggling friends when his cell buzzed with a text. He sat on the wall with his club next to him, a girl fiddling with his hair while her friend posed next to them to take a picture.

' _Where are you_?' Law asked him.

' _Securing potential girlfriends. Pretty sure eighteen is legal_ ,' he added, giving them a suspicious look. ' _How's it going in there_?'

' _What does that mean_? _You're supposed to be here, trying this out_.'

' _I failed the test_.'

' _So it's that easy for you to walk away? Is this what you do when things get a little difficult_?'

"Ahhh, my future husband is jealous!" he cried happily, standing up and nearly knocking a girl over. "He finally noticed me!"

They giggled as he told Law where to find him when he was done. Sure enough, they swarmed Law as Sanji tapped the bright pink ball, and watched with consternation as it tapped against the frame of the hole and ventured back towards him. He exhaled long in an effort to kill the rising feelings of fury and exasperation, ready to destroy the prop.

"I want to go," Law told him, having to push through the group of girls to do. "It's time to go."

"I have," Sanji said patiently, "four more holes to fill. This is my reputation as a man."

"I don't – I'm tired, I have school tomorrow," Law insisted. "I have this fucking headache – "

"Calm yourself, you're unreasonable," Sanji told him, lining up his shot once again. "These are my new friends, by the way – Alexa, Brandy, Liz, Shari – "

Law picked up his ball and threw it out of the caged course, causing all the girls to " _Ooooh_!"

"You're done, can we go now?" Law snapped at him before turning and striding away. "Let's go, before I call the police on your pedo ass."

"Sorry, ladies," Sanji apologized grandly to them, passing his club over.

Sanji lit up a cigarette as he strolled at a leisurely pace behind him. He wondered what put the man in a mood. It seemed like he was having such a good time, so Sanji was surprised at the presence of his temper. Once they climbed into the car, Law merged his sides together, retaining his human appearance. His tattoos were startling against his casual backdrop.

"Looks like we're ending this on a sour note," Sanji said cheerfully. He leaned over, breathing heavily with anticipation. "How may I comfort you?"

Law elbowed him away and started the car. "People are so shallow and ridiculous – I was my usual self around them, and they were eating up everything I said like it was the best thing they'd ever heard. If I were wearing my Glamour, they wouldn't have a thing to do with me! And those guys are too damn happy and so _annoying_! They - !"

He trailed off as Sanji snorted.

Law was exhausted. This hadn't been easy at all – not normally a talkative person, being forced to visit with people that suddenly decided he was physically acceptable made his brain ache with forced conversation. His mouth hurt from smiling, he was exhausted from competing with those Angel nimrods that didn't like to lose, and it had seriously bothered him every minute he looked up to see if Sanji was nearby. Not seeing him made a discomfort grow heavy inside of him because then he was thinking in tangents about what he was even doing here in the first place; he'd hoped they could get through this together so Sanji would be more comfortable with his Angel side but the Demon hadn't even lasted an hour into the evening before disappearing and leaving him to fend for himself.

Law was irritated with him and himself because he felt this way. It irritated him even more to learn that Sanji had found some girls to play with, but he didn't know how to express himself properly over it without sounding petulant. He felt it was weird that even if he had Sanji's inappropriate attention all the time, suddenly not having it made him feel childishly jealous and angry; like losing attention from a favorite teacher or parent.

"I'm sure this isn't something they do all the damn time," Sanji mumbled. "What's on the agenda for the next big outing?"

"A fucking new zoo exhibit opened up, and they want to see it. They want to dress up as the animal and take pictures with it. Idiot bullshit."

"How fun!" Sanji cried merrily. "Can I help you dress up? Then you can bring your furry ass to my place and show me how you would sound during mating season!"

"I'm not doing it! I'm not dressing like a damn animal!"

"Please tell me it's something obnoxious and vile, like a toucan or a meerkat!"

"Shut up, Sanji, I'm not doing it! And what's the deal with you wandering off? We're supposed to do this together! You promised you'd try!"

"I did. I reached my limits and removed myself from the area for a recoup. I'm not like you, I don't have anything to explore. I am what I am."

Law pouted for a few minutes, negotiating the streets until they reached the parking garage near his apartment. Once he'd parked, he said, "I'm sorry. It must've been hard."

"It's fine," Sanji assured him, because it now was. He felt better seeing his state now, seeing how difficult it had been for him despite what he'd seen. So he was a lot happier now than he was earlier – grateful he hadn't messed it up by overdoing it at the bar. "This is something you have to do, so…I'm just here, soaking up your bad mood and feeling even better about it. I hope you have a terrible time next time, and take it out violently on me."

Law rolled his eyes.

"But you got what you wanted," Sanji then pointed out. "You were fucking happy having that attention – "

"At first I was because those women would have never taken a chance to talk to me before, and they thought Fortnite was the most fascinating subject they'd ever heard, and I know it's not to them," Law mumbled. He flinched a little, expecting Sanji to hit him or bawl him out for even venturing onto the subject, but Sanji was too busy hiding his gleeful expression out at the car parked next to him. "So then I brought up my schooling and they were more interested in what I intended on doing for the rest of my life, and I can't just…it was what I wanted back then, that sort of security in traditional action, and…now that I'm venturing into different things, I…I'm starting to change my mind."

"Don't give up, now," Sanji then said with confidence. "One bad night doesn't necessarily mean the rest of it's bad. I want you to go forth for a week and indulge in the bad decisions you've made and fully regret it for the rest of your life, so you won't have a chance to say 'I want to try again'."

Law frowned at him before Sanji pushed the door open and bounded out. He kicked the car next to them, complaining about how close it was to theirs before slamming it shut. Law climbed out and locked his car.

"I thought you'd be discouraging," he said slowly. "What if it works out? What if I start to decide that being an Angel is more satisfactory for me?"

Sanji was walking ahead of him, so Law couldn't see the expression he was making. But he made an absent shrug. "As much as I'd prefer chaining you to my toilet and having the pleasure of abusing you every day, this is something _you_ want. It really isn't up to me."

"Demons aren't giving unless it benefits them in the end, and putting it that way, there's nothing in it for you! How can you be doing this from the kindness of your heart if you aren't a fucking full Demon?"

"Maybe if I had my wings, I'd be doing all the things you suspect I should be," Sanji said, waiting for him to catch up.

"But you chose to clip them because of your part in destruction and human lives, so - !"

"Right? Man, I'm a nut!" Sanji laughed, heading for the stairway while ignoring the elevator.

"I wish you would try harder at this, Sanji," Law said with exasperation, sliding his hands into his pockets to avoid touching the dirty railing. "I'm fairly positive you and I are similar."

"We're only body compatible, unfortunately. We should definitely give it a try, tonight," Sanji suggested, leaning over to smell him hungrily. He retreated with a dirty expression before Law could react. " _Ugh_. I smell those Angels on you. Bepo's shits smell better than they do. I'll just rely on smelling your dirty laundry while you're occupied to plot for future assaults."

Law shuddered, making a face. But he took a few moments to think before saying cautiously, "If…someone asked me out for a date, do you think I should accept?"

Sanji turned and looked at him murderously, hands clenching on the collar of his hoodie. "If I hear that you do, I will _end_ you both right there, regardless of those Angels proximity! Then I'll end myself! With a spoon!"

"How would they ask in the first place?" Law asked cautiously, jerking at his grasp but not really pulling away.

"What do you mean _how_? They'd ask point blank, Hey, can I see ya dick after I log onto Netflix? That's when you say no, and call me right away so I can decapitate yours from any future potential in a 'yes'!"

"No, normally, how would a human ask? Let's role play a little."

Sanji nearly swooned, but he caught himself because he knew Law wasn't asking for the type of roleplay that he was looking forward to. Just hearing it come out of that wretched mouth of his – so perfectly curved and serious! – made his heart skip a beat. He had to compose himself in the middle of the landing before he could settle this scene to his advantage.

"You start first," Law gestured at him, straightening his hoodie. "How would _you_ do it?"

Wearing a sulky expression, Sanji tucked his hands into his pockets. "Well…I'd, uh, ask if they were free any time doing the week – "

"Tomorrow, around eight."

Sanji supposed this was part of it, and reluctantly continued with, "Would you like to go eat at this place I like – "

"What type of place is it?"

"It's a little dressy, so let me pick you up after you get yourself prettied up; we can eat and I'll be your ear if you've had a rough week, and make it better by pampering your tired, pretty little feet and hit the drive-in downtown, where you can pick your choice of a movie, and I'll pet your head and wait for you to get sleepy. Then I'll take you home and respectfully thank you for your time and evening."

"Does that work?" Law then asked skeptically. "That sounds like a lot of work."

"Idiot! Of course it does! You want to show you can take care of another person, show them your romantic side, and mention _nothing_ of how you're just going to wind up in some hotel or home, anyway."

"Okay…um, we're off track. So…start over again."

"How would you like to go out with me?" Sanji said again, reaching out and straightening his hoodie collar, then adjusting his hat. "Wear your favorite dress, show me your favorite jewelry, I'll pick you up at eight, and let's share a meal and a drink together at this little French place that I know will treat you right. From there, I'd love to see whatever movie you like, you can tell me about your sixth grade crush and we can be home by eleven."

"At eight?"

"Or whatever time works for you, my beauty."

"Fine. Eight o'clock, but I'm driving because I've never seen you with a vehicle, and probably not French cuisine, but sushi, and instead of a movie, there's this exhibit at the museum I want to see instead."

"Yeah," Sanji said, frowning at how easy that was for him. "Just like that. Except don't make it so pretentious and all about you. She needs a choice, too."

"But doesn't that sound better? It's more relaxing."

"Yeah, I guess…I'm only saying that because I do find it agreeable."

"Okay, then. Tomorrow at eight," Law said, feeling relieved he had that off his chest. He continued walking on while Sanji stood frozen, unsure of what just happened.

He blinked owlishly for several moments, and then felt his mouth drop open as he realized he'd been played. Then it struck him that the object of his _obsession_ had just asked him out. He _agreed_ to date him. Law agreed to do something _romantic_ with him. _Law wanted his dick_.

Sanji was overcome with so much emotion that he didn't know what to do with it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Naghi-Tan, Harmonica Smile, Sarge1130, Fyoyaran – thank you for leaving your comments! It took me a while to revise this chapter because it almost went into my usual dramatics – but it won't disappoint ; )**

 _ **Chapter Thirteen**_

* * *

"You agreed to go on a date with _Sanji_?" Shachi repeated incredulously over lunch the next day. His friends – minus Penguin – all looked at him with varying degrees of shock.

Law nodded, stuffing his mouth with the rest of his baked fish. He was feeling good, being surrounded by his friends – they were like cute little mice, dressed in their traditional uniforms and carrying on with the same chatter they usually did. The topics of video games and women had been going well until Law busted that out.

"I might as well," he stated.

"Please don't talk with your mouth full," Hudson reminded him.

"There's that exhibit I want to see at the museum, so it shouldn't be that troublesome."

"I think we're missing a few things, here," Ptarmigan mumbled. He ate half of his pizza slice before saying, "it's a _date_ , Law. It's supposed to be romantic and a getting to know each other romantically kinda thing."

"It's holding hands and acting cutesy while pretending you don't eat shit food shittily."

"It's dressing nice and pretending you like the same things as they do."

"It's ending it with the awkward thought of whether or not you can kiss them," Jean Bart whispered with horror.

Law stopped chewing before fishing out a bone with his tongue. He spat it to the side of his plate.

"Please don't do that outside of this circle," Shachi muttered.

"How can you agree to go on a date with your _stalker_?" Ptarmigan asked curiously.

"A lot of things happened. I kinda don't want to talk about that," Law then mumbled self-consciously. How to tell them how he'd reacted physically to the sight of Sanji's clipped wings in the same breath he'd expressed his physical preferences in women? How could he explain the feelings he'd acknowledged having just within the past couple of days?

Hudson leaned up against him, whispering, "It's a classic tale of suddenly finding things endearing despite the fact that they were creepy as fuck and you guys had a moment of physical appreciation where you realized that he's actually cute!"

Law looked at him with horror. "Were you spying on us?"

"NO! That's a classic trope!"

"So it was predictable? Like fate?"

"Yes!"

"Weird," Law commented with a puzzled frown, Shachi giving him a napkin with an impatient look.

"I know that guy might think this is fine and insert some inappropriate comments, but please manage to keep yourself clean," Shachi said with a sigh. "If you're going to a restaurant, other people will be looking."

"I'd wondered if this was something like that," Law said, wiping his face. "How coincidental that I went through most of my life without any problems, and the moment I met him, things changed so suddenly that I could barely catch my breath."

"Back to this date," Hudson cut in. "What else are you going to do? For all we know, he's probably going to steer you to a hotel or something right away."

"No, I established my boundaries. He's pretty agreeable. Though, I think he was in shock because he wasn't expecting it," Law said thoughtfully. After they returned to the apartment last night, all Sanji did was flutter uselessly around his apartment, looking so shell-shocked that Bepo ended up gnawing on his ankle for quite some time before any of them had noticed.

"Well, how are you going to go about it? I thought you were going to explore the Angel lifestyle, so would you go through with it like that or just be who you are, now?"

Law nodded at Shachi to acknowledge his useful point of information. "I'm going to go through with it as an Angel. I didn't react too badly to him the other night, so it was odd. He's quite aware of what I'm doing, and I'm puzzled why he's even encouraging it," Law said. "You'd think with how he is he wouldn't want me doing this, but he's very supportive."

Hudson clasped his hands together and gave a romantic sigh. His face mask obscured most of his goofy look but his physical expressions gave it all away. "That's such a great thing! It's already a classic story going in the right direction! An awkward stalker turned lover – "

"Whoa, whoa, who," Law interrupted. "It's a date, not anything more."

All of them coughed or cleared their throats noisily, prompting him to lowering his fork with question.

"You're like, smart, but dumb," Shachi said with a tired sigh.

"Pretty sure we all know where this is going," Jean Bart commented gravely.

"I mean, we ventured into the proctology subject, but none of us wants to be involved with either one of you," Ptarmigan said.

"Where are you from, the 1950's?" Hudson exclaimed. " _Of course_ this date will end up a bad Reddit thread!"

"I'm doing this because I'm exploring a new interest – "

"This is a Libra thing, isn't it?" Shachi interrupted, drink pointed at him accusingly. "You are going through so many 'interests' in such a small period that the tangents are getting everyone confused! You're destroying the plot with your indecision to follow through with all your main goals, and soon you're just going to abandoned it altogether because it's too damn troublesome! Make a list and check off the completed items you've accomplished before you pursue another 'interest'."

Law frowned deeply, considering this.

"But admittedly, your confidence levels exploded since you started this," Ptarmigan said with a sigh. "You went from one of us to someone that actually has a chance at a cool life. We haven't seen you online in quite some time."

"Sanji doesn't have the internet or a tv."

"No wonder you're exploring the deep ends of the pool without acknowledging the warning signs."

"I'm still the same," Law said slowly, shredding his fish. "I just want to be certain where I'm standing and the obstacles in my path keep changing. This is something I need to pursue because I'm trying to change him, too. His confusing tendencies are _bothering_ me."

"You think he's like you?"

"I don't think so," Shachi said with uncertainty. "He's not like you."

"But I'd feel better figuring him out on a level comparable to mine. I suppose maybe his clipped wings have a hand in his weirdness but because he shows sides of him that don't fit the Demon norm, I suspect that he's just like me and needs a push into understanding that."

"Why is it up to you?" Jean Bart asked curiously, delicately placing a straw into his pitcher of soda and having a sip. "If he feels he wants to explore himself that way, then let him on his own."

"Because I'd felt alone in this for quite some time, now that I found someone that's just like me, I want that comfort of knowing that I am not alone."

"A Libra thing," Shachi said to Hudson before he could make a comment. "It's their need to help make their partner feel happier when their partner doesn't even realize that they're unhappy with themselves."

"Astrology has no place or value in this situation," Law told him impatiently.

"All I'm saying," Hudson said, fist on the table, "is that this has potential for a relationship if both of you care enough about each other to do so! There's obstacles in love to overcome – the awkward realization that you're secretly in love, the romantic flurry of physical closeness, the dramatic breakup, and the eventual makeup after realizing that you two were meant for each other! If you can overcome each one, then you can make it work!"

"I realize I have nothing to say, because I'm thinking of it in a straightforward manner," Ptarmigan said thoughtfully. "In Fortnite, you have a basic goal – win. Along the way, you have other tangents that include other players, killing them for their loot and bypassing the storm to be declared the winner. I think you're thinking of it this way, Law."

"Ooh, that sounds exactly right! You're running into tangents because you're too busy focusing on other people's loot!"

"Well, you need it in order to survive – "

"This isn't a Battle Royale!" Hudson exclaimed. "This is _love_!"

"You're too busy building forts when you should be outrunning the storm!"

"Just because you have a scar doesn't mean you're automatically a better player!"

"Changing skins doesn't affect your abilities by making you any better!"

"Eventually, you do have to shoot your partner to win, because you're making this out into a solo mission and not a team mission."

"Oh, that's bad…"

"I think," Law said over their confident voices, "that I need to do this regardless. I have caught sight of loot that looks to give me an advantage, and I need to explore it to see if it gives me an improvement."

Hudson sighed, shaking his head. "You're so selfish."

"If you're going to lead him on, then you might as well as make it clear," Jean Bart warned. "Otherwise, this could lead to disaster."

"I think it's okay because Sanji's only in it for one thing," Shachi said. "He's so damn obvious."

"It's not going to be that way," Law said with confidence.

"This world isn't for you to manipulate your BL into, because not all of us think like you," Ptarmigan told Hudson with a huff. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't think that way. You're confusing the players."

"What can I say? We're only the secondary characters," Hudson replied tearfully.

: :

When Sanji left work, he practically raced up to his apartment. He took a shower, dressed in his nicest clothes and spritzed on his cologne. He couldn't wait to see what this evening would hold; he had suspicions unfolding in the back of his mind – what person would allow their personal stalker a date? And Law hadn't even expressed any romantic notions towards him – rejecting every one of Sanji's advances with an imaginary swatter – and considering his investigative personality, Sanji was sure he was confusing some things together, thinking that what he was doing held any romantic gesture.

Considering his dateless past, considering his continued push for Sanji to investigate some Angel side, considering that he liked to jump head first into something that he had no knowledge of, Sanji felt that Law was doing this only because he had some interest in it that didn't even align with Sanji's thoughts.

So that way of thinking calmed down his desperate push and need for satisfaction – but it didn't kill his eagerness to get into it. Looking at himself in the steamed mirror, he rubbed his hands together.

"I will _get_ you, my pretty," he whispered to his reflection. "You and that little dog, too!"

Which reminded him, Bepo needed to be walked. So he hastily wrangled a leash onto the mutt and they fought all the way downstairs, where Bepo took advantage of the nearby grass and tree planters. Sanji refused to clean up after him, cackling when people passing by muttered about leaving his dog's waste behind when there were clearly dog poop clean up stations nearby. He tried to encourage Bepo to shit on the sidewalk but the dog refused to give into his bidding, clearly trained to be thoughtful and appropriate. They fought all the way back up to the apartment and by the time eight o'clock came around, Sanji was ready.

"This is it," he told Bepo as the dog snarled at him from across the room, perched on his bed. "This is where you will now address me as 'honorable step mother from now on, mutt."

Bepo barked at him, shaking his head.

"I am your mother now!"

When Law walked in, Bepo sped towards him happily, nearly knocking Sanji off his feet. The Demon caught himself as Law picked him up and gave quite a show in greeting his dog. Then he looked to Sanji. "Ready?"

Sanji exhaled impatiently. He would hold himself back on killing him with his inane show of affection towards the grinning pup. Only because Law's beauty transcended all his standards – wearing a bright red collar shirt tucked into khakis, looking as if he'd walked right off the golf course of love. If only he were wearing one of those ridiculous hats. Some invisible wind ruffled parts of his blue black hair – never would Sanji know how many people Law had offended with the mismatched coloring and the unpleasant sight of his gut hanging over his belt; he had food stains on his collar and what looked like crumbs in his left sideburn. Sanji would personally nibble away those food crumbs for dinner if Law would let him in close.

Settling his palpitating heart, Sanji said with a growl, "I suggest you change out of those clothes and into something more fitting for the night. Make an impression! I knew you'd do this, so go change into the things I picked out for you in the bathroom, and follow the directions I'd left in there as well."

With some uncertainty, Law lowered Bepo to the floor and looked at his clothes. He noticed then that Sanji was dressed in some pressed slacks, an open collar shirt tucked in and a blazer with some rather nice leather shoes. All in black, so he looked striking and noticeable – a bit too aggressive. He winced. "Okay, sure."

In the bathroom, he noticed his clothes hanging from the towel rack with a note attached: "Wear this." There was a bottle of sampler cologne on the counter, with directions of where to apply it, and a wrapped bouquet of pink flowers with another note attached to it. Law shrugged and figured he'd go along with it so he followed all the directions attached to various surfaces – ignoring the "Masturbate to avoid being a quick hit and run" – and was ready in no time. He emerged from the bathroom with a flustered, "Why did you even suggest - ?"

"These are for me? How sweet of you! I _love_ them!" Sanji exclaimed, taking the flowers from him and whirling around in place to smell them. He wore such a delighted expression that it made Law wonder if he'd forgotten somehow that he'd bought the bouquet himself. The Demon was such a mind trip, sometimes. "You are so thoughtful!"

While he stuffed them into a vase he'd already filled with water, Law waited awkwardly for his attention to return. He said, "Because I'm continuing on with this lifestyle, I do intend on finishing this evening out as an Angel."

Sanji's shoulders sagged with disappointment.

Law waited for him to complain and when he didn't, he asked awkwardly, "Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?"

"At lot of things about this situation make me uncomfortable, but the point is, it's an evening for two of us to enjoy with each other!" Sanji said, looking him over hungrily. He'd made sure Law was to wear black slacks that he'd rolled and pinned himself so that his enchanting ankles were visible. Tucked into that was a black v-neck shirt of Sanji's that clung to his charming torso and a light black cardigan that should've been thrown into the trash years ago but would equip Law against the cold weather outside. "You are looking so scrumptious – why don't we forget going out and make a date on my bed? The dog can watch, if you want."

Law switched on his Angel side. The vision dimmed a bit but Sanji still liked him anyway. He watched to see how Law would react to him, cautiously settled towards a nearby window in case he needed to make a quick getaway. But Law kept looking at him in that same way he had at the fun center – and instead of making Sanji feel encouraged to attack, Sanji felt alert and disenchanted. Whatever was going through his Angel head at that moment was not similar to what was going on in Sanji's.

But he had to remain optimistic because this was their first date. Unfortunately, his optimism appeared lackluster and uninterested.

"I'm ready," he said on a sigh.

In Law's mind, he was looking at a clearly unapproachable bad boy – a rebel that couldn't care less about his surroundings or danger. So it sent a shiver through him, wondering how someone like Sanji saw any value to him. Nervously, he said, "Um…you look nice."

"Yeah, thanks. We gonna go, or stand here looking at each other? This dog's getting his fur on everything."

"Yes, yes, sure. Um. Thank you for agreeing to this."

"I have a feeling it's more for your benefit than mine. But I'll enjoy my night with you," Sanji added lazily, wondering if he should smoke before going or when they got there. With the way he delivered the line, Law felt a shock of apprehension shoot through him – nervously wondering if this night was going to end with him losing a special part of himself. It was horrifying how exciting and terrifying that thought was.

 _My heart really is making that_ badump! he realized with horror, touching his chest. _Is this how Sandy felt seeing Danny at the pep rally_?

At the museum, Sanji was dismayed to see that Law was taking him to see an exhibit based on coins. It wasn't that interesting a subject, but Law was excited about it. Coins from all around the world, gathered from history, put on display in heavily guarded cases throughout the three story museum. Boredom settled in immediately as Law excitedly paid for them both and had them rushing to catch the last coin tour of the day. Throughout the tour, Sanji wondered how he could convince the man to a hotel so Bepo wouldn't interrupt them. Maybe they could eat fast food or vendor items at the room so they wouldn't have to go to dinner.

Near the end of the tour Law looked at him with worry, as if finally remembering that he was there.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked nervously.

Sanji put on a wide smile. "Tremendously!"

"You haven't said anything all this time, so I hope this wasn't a bad choice," Law said with worry, and this appealed to Sanji, so he made the smile genuine.

"No, as long as you're enjoying yourself, I am, too," he assured him. Then once Law's back was turned he scowled heavily. He struggled to find the strength and energy needed to get through the rest of the exhibit, and busied himself looking at the ladies of the group. They were timid around them because they were so in awe of Law's Angel looks, so Sanji thought to make them relax and open up, chatting to them amicably and complimenting them on everything from their hair to their shoes. Charming them entirely from their original intention of enjoying the exhibit to focusing on him.

Once Law grew aware of this, he felt letdown and discouraged, fiddling self-consciously with his watch. But it also annoyed him that Sanji wasn't _trying_ – this was the second time the Demon wandered off once something didn't match his interest. It annoyed him that Sanji was paying attention elsewhere instead of him – finding it rude that Sanji would flirt with others than throwing his usual attention to him – he realized his Demon side was struggling to overcome his Angel side and quickly wrestled that back into place with some discomfort.

Once they were allowed to wander off on their own, the women leaving Sanji with cheerful goodbyes and giggles, Law returned to his side.

"If you're not enjoying it, you should just tell me," he said apprehensively.

"Of course I enjoy spending every moment I can with you, baby," Sanji cooed reassuringly to him, reaching out to grab his hand and kissing every finger slowly. Law felt his neck and head fill up with hot heat, enraptured by the attention. His Demon side screamed with horror, a high pitched whine in his head making it difficult for him to focus. Why did his Angel side allow this attention? "Just being in your presence gives me life!"

When Sanji proceeded to suck on one finger suggestively, Law jerked his hand away, wind leaving his lungs. He hastily wiped his hand on his pants to alleviate the hot, wet feeling that was left behind. He ended up walking towards a display to catch his breath and hide the growing boner that popped up in response.

"I can tell you're lying. If there is something else you'd want to do, then just say something."

"Quite honestly, this isn't my thing. I know you love coins, but _why_? You haven't even shared with me your own thoughts on the displays, you were busy eating up that tour guide's words like they were liquid gold," Sanji complained, looking for his cigarettes. He had absolutely no idea what sort of affect he'd had on the Angel, because Law held himself with such annoyed aggression as he battled the bulge.

' _You're so selfish_ …' Hudson's voice interrupted Law's next thought, and he realized where he'd misstepped.

"Oh. I see. I apologize, I guess I didn't make time for a backstory on this particular subject," he said. "I've loved collecting coins since I was a child, when my father gave me a few rare ones of his own. I had been looking forward to coming to this particular exhibit since it was mentioned on my social media."

"What were your parents like?" Sanji asked curiously, trying to picture an older version of Law standing in his place. "Was your dad hot? I bet your mom was super beautiful, and was responsible for giving you your eyes…"

Law narrowed his eyes in warning before turning away from the display case to look at him. "They were nice and kind, and the only way I feel closer to them is if I were in this form."

"How'd they pass?"

"I'm not clear on the details."

Sanji gave him an outraged look. "Something happens to your parents and you're not clear on details?"

"I blocked them out because it was a traumatic experience, Sanji."

" _Oh_." Sanji's eyes widened with awe, hands to his mouth. "You made out with one of the most miserable of backstories?"

"…Yeah. Well…I guess."

"That must've been so _terrible_! Let me be the one to remind of your mother by allowing you to suckle at my breast - !" Sanji grabbed one of his hands and pressed it against his chest.

Law slapped him as he eked out a noise of horror. "We are in a _museum_!"

"Oh, right, yes, I better be on my good behavior," Sanji commented, wiping at his cheek. "This place exudes creepiness with mummified bodies on display. Hey, let's go check out other places here. Let's look for the nude busts in the Neanderthal displays."

"Or we could check out the history between Demons and Angels over this way."

"They have that? Fine, let's go that way."

They headed up to the second floor and found the hallway display – it contained copied artefacts of the first Demon versus Angel clash, along with "feathers" from fallen wings. It was interesting because while it was clear both creatures needed to be respected, there was clearly a black market need for some of their body parts if they showed up on the streets. It was noted that those who sold their wings to black market doctors unknowingly contributed various "cures" and magic gels that were basically snake oil.

"What do you think happened to your wings?" Law asked Sanji curiously, sneaking a look at his back.

Sanji sighed wistfully. "Hopefully used as a dick hardening gel. My wings alone should be enough for the Viagra industry to make millions with surefire success."

"Would you grow them back?"

"Would you like me better that way?" Sanji then asked him, leaning his forehead onto his shoulder cheekily.

"What if there was a situation where you had to…would you?"

"I would sacrifice myself readily for you!"

"I still think you're like me. Perhaps with your Demon wings removed, your Angel side continues to push through. It's just something you've not yet recognized because you weren't exposed to it," Law theorized as Sanji pulled away with a sigh.

He said, "Trust me, I know where I stand. Besides, shouldn't Angels react to each other in a certain manner? I know when you're standing here in front of me as one, I'm terribly annoyed."

"I guess I'm pushing this because I don't want to feel alone," Law mumbled honestly. "And you're so close to what I feel is real, that I want it to be true."

"And if it turns out that it won't be, then what? You won't like me anymore?"

"I wouldn't do that…just…I guess I'd feel disappointed. I'd feel…alone."

"You're not alone," Sanji reminded him. "You've got supportive friends, a determined husband, two idiots that try to stay out of it but haven't been able to ignore you even with your bad choices – "

"Why would your mother sacrifice her Angel status for a man like your father?" Law then asked curiously, looking at a display of an Angel's heavily armored finger – lost from some long ago Demon opponent. "Wouldn't it make more sense to fall in love with someone exactly like her?"

Sanji felt his eyes widen with horror. "Oh my god…I turned into my mother."

"Does she look like you?" Law asked curiously.

"Have you spoken to your friends at all?" Sanji then asked, avoiding the question.

Law wondered why Sanji kept avoiding talking about his family, but he didn't press.

"I have. Except for Penguin."

"And they're cool with things?"

"I suppose. They…gave me good advice for tonight."

"Fuck those guys, they're only in it to use you for whatever gossip fodder they can use! Dump them, I hate them, I don't think they're a good influence on you." Sanji then snickered, crouching to examine a newspaper clipping on how some Angels had interfered with a nuclear war. The way his ass positioned above the floor caused Law's eyes to wander before he caught himself with mortification. "Besides, I have a feeling they think I'm a bad influence on you."

 _I have to be terribly gay to think he's so attractive_ , Law thought with frozen horror. _But it's my Angel side that thinks this! What's wrong with me? Is it okay to feel this way?_

Straightening up, Sanji heaved a sigh. He wished Law would allow his Demon side back out – there were so many places here in the museum where he could molest him. He would definitely get off fast knowing that security or ghosts were watching them. Law's Angel side was annoyingly dull and awkward. Every time he slathered some attention to him, Law either blushed or dashed away; Sanji didn't want to chase after delicate maidens. He wanted a Demon that could stand his ground and fight him.

He curled his arms around Law's middle and pressed his forehead near where Law's wings would be. He could sense the weight and heat of them just inches from his head – it made him feel hot and bothered just imagining the sight of them in his true form, and he wanted to wrap himself in them like they were a security blanket. Law immediately jumped out of his grasp with a frightened noise. Tapping his lips, Sanji wondered where the nearest exit was so he could smoke – never realizing that Law was struggling to catch his breath upon his unexpected reaction to Sanji's gesture.

His body had enjoyed the close contact – skin tingling with want and desire; all of it so strong that his Angel instincts cried with confusion and his Demon instincts demanded a satisfactory ending to this teasing. Frankly, it was so confusing as to what he wanted that Law wasn't sure how to react after the initial escape. So he wore a puzzled expression while both sides battled it out inside of him.

 _Do I want to kill him or kiss him_? he wondered, feeling his face flame with hot tension. _Which side wants it more_?

"Hahhhh," Sanji sighed noisily, looking over a display case of a Demon and Angel at war with each other, "but I'm sure you'll make a decision of your own. You're a big boy – but I'll never forgive you if you abandon responsibility for your stepchildren."

Law ended up giving him a puzzled look. "What stepchildren - ?"

"Are you hungry?" Sanji then asked him, sweeping that question aside.

"You have children?" Law persisted. "Left in your past?"

Sanji considered this with a thoughtful expression. "I never thought about it. I don't think I do. Sometimes I blacked out so maybe – "

"Irresponsible!"

"I have a past, and if it wants to catch up with me, it'll have to run a little harder."

"I saw you at the bar with Zoro the other night. Did you have anything…?"

"I stopped at one. I regretted it. There was no real reason for doing that, so my calendar restarts itself. You could've stopped me. All you had to do was look at me," Sanji decided, suddenly in Law's space and looking at him before he made a face and jerked away. "I can't do it. I can't do this when you look like that."

Law had to wave at his face – his temperature shot through the roof when Sanji invaded his space like that, looking at him with such desire. He coughed, a bite in his throat at the mixture of feelings that still fought angrily inside of him.

"It's weird how you can get along with that Angel with no real problems," he muttered, a little bitterly. "Even going so far as to drink together."

Sanji whirled around immediately and asked excitedly, "Is that jealousy I hear?"

"No, it's a statement considering how you're quick you are to abandon trying to fit in," Law sputtered quickly.

Sanji waved that off lazily. "Trust me, it wasn't comfortable. Any wrong move, I'll get eaten."

"Oh. Right. But if I pull away from my exploration now, it ruins the purpose of trying to find what I've been looking for."

"I'm not telling you to change – this is something you wanna do, then do it. But don't complain because things change between us because of it. There's a reason for both of our actions."

"I really did want to do this, Sanji," Law then confessed quietly. "I started to see you differently – "

He was prepared for the lunge, so he sidestepped to stop Sanji's hasty advance. Sanji barely caught himself from hitting the display case Law was standing in front of, banging his head off the glass and causing some security guards to look over with concern. He rubbed his forehead as he pulled away.

"But I need to take this _slowly_ because I might be mistaking it for my hope in that you're similar to me," Law continued. "I don't know if the physical parts are something I'm that interested in, considering my only research was into women – "

"Hey, if it helps, I have no qualms in dressing up as a woman and letting you have at me. I'll even call you 'daddy'," Sanji offered cheekily, curtsying with such a sleek motion that Law felt all his thoughts fizzle to a hot stop; his image conjured up long blond hair, sloppy dresses and hair legs. He was shocked to find his nose itch with a sudden bleed, and he clapped a hand over his nose and mouth hastily.

"That's terrible!" he eked out, troubled by his response. Sanji figured Law was reacting negatively to the suggestion and rolled his eyes, wishing Law would just revert back to his Demon side; he was pretty sure that side would love the perversity.

"Besides, I'm not letting you break up with me for a real woman. I'll sleep with all your girlfriends and make you completely miserable so that you're forced to change your mind about me," Sanji threatened.

"You're being difficult."

"I'm being firm on what I want, so there are no pretenses!"

"Then go to the zoo with me when I meet the others and actually be there to put the effort in! Stay there with me from the moment we walk up to the moment we walk out."

Sanji gave him a cross look, his arms folding over his chest with a petulant action at the thought of being overwhelmed by the Angels surrounding him. He was sure they'd pay more attention to him than they would the animals. "You're asking a fuck ton and expecting the impossible to happen."

"It's important to me that we do this together," Law said firmly, wiping his nose.

"So, this is how Angels live. A desire to conquer and dominate without allowing anybody a choice. I suppose anyone that isn't me would fall down trying to satisfy those demands, but hell if I will."

Law looked at Sanji with contemplation, unaware of how determined his expression had become until Sanji looked at him. One eyebrow lifted warily.

" _What_."

"I want you to grow your wings back."

"No. I refuse."

"I want this other question solved, and this is the only way I can think of doing it."

"Show me your dick, and I'll think about it."

"I know you're like me! What is it going to take to prove you wrong?"

"Even if I were," Sanji said slowly, "what's it going to do for you?"

With frustration, Law rubbed his temples as a headache began to form. "I honestly don't know," he said.

"And if there was someone else just like you, how would you treat them? If you cheat on me, I swear on your parents' graves I'll sue!"

"All I'm doing is giving myself a headache," Law mumbled. "I just want to go home."

"You dumped yourself into this mess, pull yourself out from it. I'd help, but I hate the thought of those scummy Angel hands on me."

Law stared at him in contemplative silence while Sanji looked sullen. "Tell me honestly – leave your perv shit out of this. What do you like about me?"

Sanji looked tortured for a few moments, but he straightened up with a concentrative expression, trying to put his like into appropriate words. He said slowly, "I like how you try to fix things. How open minded you are. You're adventurous. A risk-taker. You have a good sense of humor. You have goals. If something isn't right, you question it rather than flee from it."

"Are these things good for a relationship?"

"Honestly? It can be troublesome. You can cause a guy insecurity when you're set in one of your modes. You're not that attentive to another person's feelings. You are rather selfish. The fact that you're adventurous means you're not the type to stay in one place. Something catches your eye, you're going to give chase while leaving something behind. The only love you have is for that dog."

Law felt his shoulders sag a little. "That sounds depressing."

Sanji then gave him a rue frown. "Not to make things awkward, but how about you? What do you like about me?"

"I can talk freely to you. You're showing me new things. You're encouraging and supportive. I'm on my toes all the time being around you. If it wasn't for you, I would have never gone this route. You're stupid and hilarious, and quite honestly take up a lot of my thoughts. When I'm with you, I feel like I can do these things because I know you'll have my back. And that other day when I saw your back, it definitely made me question myself and upset my balance."

"You're a perv!" Sanji said in sing-song.

"You pay attention to all my details and force me to think in other directions – I'm so fucking selfish!" Law ended up crying out loud in dejection, crouching against the display case. "I'm only using you to better myself and I'm the worst person in the world because I'm just going to continue doing it because I still don't know shit about myself!"

"There, there," Sanji said, using the bottom of his shoe to pat his head. "Let me comfort you in the restrooms over there. It'll make me happy, too."

"In the restrooms?" Law repeated dumbly, furrowing his brow. Did Sanji just suggest he'll wait politely for him to have a stress shit before they could continue?

With a look of reluctance, he pulled Law to his feet, steadying him. "Listen, when you finally succeed with figuring out this shit you started, you'll feel a lot better. I'm not lying when I said I don't mind what you do to me – I only mind if you don't. For better or for worse, remember?"

"We're not married," Law reminded him as some people drifted into the hallway to look at things, turning away to hide his expression.

"You continue to deny me, but I will always be here to remind you," Sanji said, arm around his waist as he kissed the back of his neck. Law was frozen because the contact shot straight to places that it shouldn't in public, and his skin shivered in such a way that it was unmistakable. Sanji pulled back with a questioning face.

"Did you just react to me?" he asked dumbly.

"It's cold in here," Law said with a flush, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Then let me warm you up!" Sanji said happily, ensnaring him into a hug from the front, on his tiptoes to do so. Then he grew devilishly happy because it was obvious what sort of effect he had on the other man. His legs curled tightly around his waist and he attempted to ride Law's boner like a horse. Which only agitated the Angel into releasing a strangled noise and hasty actions to separate themselves. "Hi ho silver! To the parking lot!"

" _Hey_!"

Both of them froze at the voice directed in their direction. Standing there was a man standing off to the side of the group, looking furious. Sanji recognized him immediately, dropping his grasp from Law with a reluctant gesture. Because of his reaction, Law had to see who it was but Sanji quickly forced his head forward.

"I thought that was you, you miserable little bastard."

"Don't look," Sanji warned Law in a whisper. Of course that only made him more curious to see who was talking to them, but Sanji made it difficult for him to even turn his head. So Law tried to focus on the reflection in the display case instead. All he saw was a man dressed entirely in black, but he radiated such dangerous vibes that Law felt his Angel instincts start to react.

"My phone is dry, Sanji. I'm disappointed you didn't get ahold of me when you came back. Did we part on such bad terms? I knew we'd eventually run into each other again."

"We should go," Sanji told Law uncomfortably.

"Why?" Law asked curiously, not moving. "Is he an ex?"

"…Sorta," Sanji answered with a wave of his hand and a cringe.

"What does that mean - ?"

"And so you found yourself another toy to play with?"

Law could hear that the man was walking over, wearing some sort of shoewear that clomped heavily atop of the floor with his approach. His spine tingled with the need to react, but Sanji's fingers tightened their grip.

"When _I'm_ available? I'm hungry, Sanji. I deserve to be fed," the man said, his voice dripping with hunger. His voice was strangely muffled so it drove Law's curiosity wild with the want to look. "I haven't been satisfied in so long."

"I'm not doing this here," Sanji said stubbornly. "Besides, when we parted it was agreed that neither of us should be contacting either. The cops were quite insistent on that."

"What happened to your wings, Sanji? Why can't I see them?"

"And the sweets shops," Sanji added, taking a step and forcing Law to walk with him. Law stumbled because Sanji was moving in such a way that Law had to stutter step to do so. "The past is in the past, and I'll be going on my way, now. Both of us. I'm not looking for trouble."

"Oh? When trouble is your middle name? I don't care if you think you're beyond all that trash, even with your wings clipped, but right now I demand satisfaction. And only _you_ can put a stop to that. I've been hungry all these years, Sanji, and I will stop at nothing to have this ache put away."

"Sounds like a problem for Dr. Oz," Sanji said hurriedly, suddenly forcing Law to duck and shoving him roughly ahead. By some miracle, Law found his footing so he turned to see what the problem was until Sanji wrapped his head with his blazer, tying it tight.

"What the hell? I can't see!" Law exclaimed, being jerked around as Sanji suddenly whirled him sharply to the side. It felt like he was forcing him to move in such a way as to avoid physical conflict. People were suddenly calling out with apprehension and security responded with some shouts.

He could _smell_ the Demon – it was heavy with the stench of sweets, something overwhelming. Like red velvet and sugar – too much sugar. It gave him a headache.

"It was nice seeing you, but like I said – the past is dead for me, and so are late relationships," Sanji said, easily tossing his Angel over one shoulder and hopping over the railing of the second floor to the first. Law started to cry out with fright in freefall but it came out as a grunt as impact hit him in the gut. It knocked the wind right out of him, so he couldn't eke out anymore sound.

"I'm not letting you go that easily, now!" came the roar from above, the heavy sound of a second impact falling much too close to them. "I don't give a shit if you have a new toy – I'll kill him once I get my hands on him! Fuck that restraining order!"

"Not today! You're not killing this one! I like this one!"

"Feed me, you little bastard! You're only good for this!"

"Find a vending machine!" Sanji called over his shoulder, suddenly in a run as Law struggled to rip the blazer from his head, alarmed at how easy it was for Sanji to move this quick with his weight – clearly trying to escape a Demon ex.

Suddenly both of them left the ground, Sanji's arms tightening around him, and there were smacks of loud sound that suggested something was being thrown at them. The Demon was leaping from surface to surface to avoid being hit, and Law struggled to get loose because he could hear the whoosh of something flying at them.

"Shit!" Sanji suddenly cursed, and Law realized he was completely gone from underneath him. He hit the ground with such abrupt violence that he almost lost his wind again. They were still in the museum, causing such a ruckus that people were shouting out in various directions. "Don't you fucking kill me, you bastard! Let me get out of the way, first!"

It was weird because Sanji was shouting at him but his voice trailed off in such a way that it suggested he was being pulled away – rather violently. Law fumbled to pull the blazer off from his head and looked up, struggling to get his wind back after all that action. As the garment fell to the floor, he caught sight of a tall man with magenta colored hair looking at Sanji with cold action. One arm was shaped like a string of taffy-like material that shimmered with Demon scales and color, but it reformed into a human appendage to hold Sanji against him.

The reason why he spoke so oddly was indicative of the scarf he wore around his neck and the bottom half of his mouth. The sight of him caused fury like none other to race through Law, watching him walk away with Sanji in his grasp. Both of them were snarling at each other, ignoring the shouts of the security guards that were trying to intervene.

Ex or not, this Demon _dared_ to ruin his date!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I *promise not to run.**

 **Naghi-Tan: LOL oh man, I hope I don't disappoint Pieromachine with my version! XD That would be a whole different story if all of Sanji's exes suddenly popped up! XDXDXD**

 _ **Chapter Fourteen**_

* * *

Sanji was quite panicked as his "ex" boyfriend carried him out from the back of the museum. It was really an awkward story for him to explain to Law – quite positive the Angel would be scandalized by his sordid past as it came back to life right in front of him. But he was more worried about the Angel that was sure to come after them would slaughter them both. Sure, Katakuri was a formidable Demon but he had nothing against Law's merged form if the man was smart enough to change into that.

It was only severely embarrassing because this relationship wasn't exactly _conventional_ …

"You bastard, you put me down right now and I swear to you, I'll divert my date's attention elsewhere so you can return home to mommy in one piece," he threatened, slapping Katakuri's shoulder a few times.

"The one you were trying to hide is an Angel? I suspected nothing like that," Katakuri said, marching towards the souped-up Jeep in the parking lot. His stomach rumbled noisily, so Sanji attempted to knee him. "I don't care about him."

"My restraining order against you was for five years! You're violating it!"

"Same as mine, and since you violated yours, we're both in the wrong. Let them come after us, I'll kill us both," Katakuri said gravely, tossing him into the back seat.

"You're a sick bastard. I'm not doing this again! I changed my life around, I am a _changed_ person!" Sanji exclaimed as he straightened himself up in the backseat, shocked when the roll bars suddenly rattled with bars erupting from the Jeep's windows. "You sick freak. You _still_ have this going for you?"

"When I catch my prey, I tend to make it difficult for them to escape," Katakuri said calmly, climbing into his Jeep.

He was such a big man that it took major effort to do so. Considering the Jeep's size, he had to fold his knees up around the steering wheel, crouch low, push the specially crafted seat entirely into the back seat – Sanji jumping to the side to avoid being crushed – and settled with his elbows splayed to the sides to allow him to work the key and automatic transmission. He delicately used his fingertips to turn the key, the Jeep roaring to life with alternative rock blasting from the expensive speakers.

Sanji huffed, then caught sight of Law running out from the museum's back doors.

"Don't do it, don't do it _, don't do it_ ," he whispered frantically then gave a panicked shouted as the Angel took form. There was nowhere to hide in the Jeep; he squeaked and tried to make himself as small as possible as the Angel roared out with discovery.

Calm, Katakuri backed the vehicle up by using only the rearview mirror and began making his way out of the parking lot. "This will wind up on a Reddit thread as a bad date."

"This is your fault! It was just getting good!" Sanji roared from the back seat.

A glistening white sword screaming out with tonal brass music tore through the street and sidewalk with a barrage of destruction that sent pedestrians and drivers into a startled panic, eliminating Katakuri's way out. He put his Jeep into four wheel drive and climbed over it easily.

"I _smell_ you, Demons! I'll destroy you both!" came the harsh scream in both of their heads. Sanji tried not to cry.

"Goodbye, new dick," he sniffled. "I didn't even get to see you, but I knew you were thinking fondly of me – "

"If he wanted to kill us, he'd already have done so," Katakuri observed, maneuvering around pieces of debris to turn onto a one way street. People were scrambling to run in that direction, a police vehicle with its lights and sirens on blocking a road to prevent a pile up. The policeman himself was outside his car, directing fleeing people away from the scene. "Strangely, he's holding back. To my advantage, of course."

The sword drove straight down in front of them, blocking their way. The policeman jumped into his car to reverse away as Katakuri looked up through his windshield at the gleaming sword in front of him. The Jeep was jostled with the incoming steps of the titan behind them, heaving breathing apparent as there was a lull in the song.

"I lived a short, but fulfilling life," Sanji said to himself, hand over his heart. "Mother, I'm sorry for being a disappointment. Old man, I'll see you on the other side, hopefully in hell – "

The top of the Jeep was ripped away, exposing them both to the armored Angel standing above them. Not wanting to see his death, Sanji covered his head with both hands as Katakuri straightened in his seat with a grunt. His whole upper torso could now unfold comfortably above the roll bars.

" _Change_!" the Angel bellowed harshly from above them. "This won't be that easy! I'll take on both!"

"If you really wanted to, you already would have," Katakuri commented without any fear.

"Never feel guilty for what you did!" Sanji shouted bravely, peeking through his arms. "You did the right thing!"

The titan stomped onto the street with impatience, screaming, " _Change_!"

When neither Demon moved to obey this order, the Angel reached down and swatted the Jeep into the building nearby, a flurry of debris raining through the air as metal bent and glass crumbled. Sanji had braced himself for the impact, shouting aloud once it happened. Katakuri ducked calmly and held onto his steering wheel as the Jeep slammed sideways through the building and rested with a light jiggle into what looked like a Subway shop. Workers scrambled to escape once the dust cleared.

"We're not going to die," Katakuri grunted while Sanji brushed dust and debris from himself, coughing to clear his throat and lungs.

The sword appeared again, swiping through the entire building with a complete cut that allowed the Angel to sweep aside the top half to expose them. Amidst the rumble of settling pieces, screams and the crackling of electricity that sparkled as lines were cut, dust obscured the sight of the Angel as he looked in on them. Several tense moments passed as it hissed out an impatient breath, sword lifting up and away as massive wings fluttered, clearing the dust out with a gust of movement.

" _Pathetic_ ," Katakuri commented. He put the Jeep into park, and unfolded himself out onto the dirtied floor. Straightening his scarf as the titan watched, he grabbed Sanji by his shirt to yank him out.

The Angel being breathed heavily with twin exhalations, as if there were two forms inside of him. Those pinpoints of eyes locked on them as Katakuri's eyes crinkled with mirth.

"Part of my ability allows me to see the future actions you'd take, you ungodly beast," Katakuri called out, holding Sanji by his arm so he couldn't escape. Lowering his voice to a menacing tone, he stated, "I can see both of us fighting each other for exactly three blocks, matching fist to fist in an effort to overpower each other. Eventually, I trip over a damn McDonald's truck, _you_ take the advantage of thrusting that hellish sword of yours at my heart plate, I deflect it to hit you, then you get hung up on that bank's billboard, there. Seeing that I have an advantage, I get my spear up and out for your ugly heart but _this_ guy gets in the way by taking my spear to his own heart; he sacrifices himself, instead! You want that happening?"

Because Sanji knew personally of Katakuri's ability, he froze in mid-action. He could see that happening and because it was such a strong feeling, it reflected in his face. Law must've seen it, too, because his titan form hesitated.

"Will you risk my words?" Katakuri said devilishly, his eyes crinkling. "You want that to happen? Then come get him."

" _Ohhhh_ yes," Sanji muttered. "And _this_ is why we broke up."

"No, we broke up because you suddenly decided to get pious on me."

"NO, I broke up with you because of your future seeing shit! Because you saw me sleeping with your sister!"

Katakuri threw him to the floor with a furious curse. "I'm still _pissed_ about that!"

"If you saw it happening, then why are you still pissed? You knew it was going to happen!"

Katakuri put that aside to continue directing his words to Law. "Well? What's it going to be, Angel dick? Considering that you haven't killed either of us yet, you're capable of thinking, rather than giving into your instinct. Impressive, I'm surprised that you have the ability to reason."

The titan looked undecided, releasing a mumble of sound that reverberated through the air around them before his voice made an appearance.

"This is something that's fine with you?" came the rather upset voice in their heads.

"It'll be _fine_ ," Sanji promised once he realized he wasn't going to die at Law's hands. "It's not what you think – it's too embarrassing to say - !"

Katakuri clamped a hand over his head to muffle his voice before he could continue. "Listen to him, beast. There isn't anything else you can do. If you want to continue fighting I wouldn't mind, but I'll be very upset that I wasn't able to connect with my ex-boyfriend. We have _so_ much catching up to do."

Sanji panicked. "Just do it! I'd rather _die_ than go back with him! Do it! He's going to make me do unmentionable things to him that I'd rather not repeat!"

"If you want to pursue a relationship with this foul cretin of a human being, then understand he has baggage he has yet to sort out," Katakuri growled, snatching Sanji back to him and then taking the action to stuff him back into the Jeep. Seeing that Law wasn't going to react, he then crawled into the Jeep himself. A minute later it pulled away by driving over the debris left behind.

Because he was at a loss as to what to do, Law didn't follow. But his Angel form trembled with troubled action, sirens moving towards the scene with difficulty.

: :

The cave that Katakuri called his home was a penthouse apartment looking over the city – it hadn't changed much, Sanji saw as he walked in with a sullen expression. Once upon a time he was in awe of the view and for the fact that he'd managed to bag a hefty prize in the midst of his drug-fueled haze, but after reviewing some of the memories, he really wished Law had just killed them both.

"Now," Katakuri growled eagerly, rubbing his hands together before punching in a code that locked the heavy front door down. "We get reacquainted. Tell me – how has your life been treating you?"

"You don't care about that part of my life," Sanji huffed, looking at the kitchen warily. His expression scrunched with distaste. "Jesus. What have you done to the place?"

"I knew I'd be seeing you soon, so I prepared for your visit in advance," Katakuri said with satisfaction. He gestured at the area, whose countertops and cabinet spaces visibly bulged with baking supplies. He rubbed his stomach anxiously, his cheeks flushed with growing pleasure. His heavily lashed eyes looked Sanji over with a slow inspection, Sanji shivering in response. He couldn't help but hug himself in an attempt to safeguard his vulnerabilities.

"You look as if you hadn't changed a bit," Katakuri purred, reaching out and running his fingers over Sanji's back. "But it's disappointing not seeing your beautiful dark wings. You look like a baby with such a bare back."

Sanji darted away from him, placing the counter between them.

"I told you – I'm not that guy now," he warned. "I've changed, I've left my past behind!"

"But we've had so much fun together. How could you forget all the good times?" Katakuri asked, reaching up to remove his leather jacket, tossing that onto the stiff, dark couch nearby. He was breathing slightly heavily, rubbing his chest with growing excitement. "When can I expect you to hurry up and service me? Or are you expecting a treat beforehand? Because I assure you, my supply is unlimited. You were always hot for a happy pill or two before we got started…"

" _Never_ , you shitty fool! I told you! I'm square," Sanji insisted, making a square in mid-air. "This is not something I ever wanted to do again. This is not something I want my husband to ever learn – "

"Your ' _husband'_?" Katakuri laughed, rubbing at the scars that barely peeked over his scarf. "Don't make me laugh like that again. No one would ever want you for a husband once they knew what we used to do together. You're too filthy to start clean!"

"You're absolutely right about that, so if you say anything to him – " Sanji narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He looked around the place, then began to hastily inspect various odds and ends for a hidden camera while Katakuri took his boots off and lounged on his couch with a lazy expression. He watched the other Demon hungrily, smacking his lips.

Sanji whirled to face him, feeling demure and modest as he could feel the creep's eyes taking him in. "Stop it."

"I can't help it," Katakuri admitted. "I missed you terribly. If only I'd taken the knife to your head that day, this would have all stopped then."

"You tried!"

"But I missed. It was all your fault you had to ruin this love affair by leaving me. I'll never forgive you." Straightening up from the couch, Katakuri marched to him grandly, Sanji shrinking with fear as he realized he couldn't escape from this mess.

 _Damn you_ , he thought of Law. _You should killed us both! Save me from this humiliation_!

"I can't do this," he begged lightly. " _Please don't make me do this_!"

"You know I love it when you beg," Katakuri purred, face coloring with arousal. "I love to see you squirm and cry. It makes me hot and bothered when you resist and finally give in. So let's not repeat the usual – you want me in a coma after, then you better make this good."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Sanji said with exasperation, pushing up against the wall as Katakuri lowered himself to inhale deeply of his fear and alarm. He shoved the man away with an elbow. "Grow up!"

"I have waited for this night," Katakuri growled, grasping his arm and yanking him towards the kitchen. "I will prepare myself, so if you want me dead, you might as well as get started. You can't escape my will – I fully intend on punishing you thoroughly for the mess you left behind, so I hope you prepared your body beforehand."

"My body is _always_ primed and ready," Sanji snapped at him, unable to pull his arm away as Katakuri gestured at the kitchen.

"Everything is where you left it. I'm going to pound away at you until you break, Sanji. Just like old times. I know you loved leaving here, broken and tattered, sore from the inside out as the result of my limitless demands…"

"Ah," Sanji said with a sigh, feeling exhausted already. He bent to open a cabinet door and found that things were, indeed, exactly where he'd left them. He pulled out a crumpled fan of prop feathers, dirtying the pristine floor. "You are a pathetic piece of work."

"For too long of a time," Katakuri said, leaning over him so he could be heard and causing Sanji to shiver again as the man's big body crowded his, "I've dreamt of what I'd do to you. Inside and out, night after night. I'd reduce you to tears and vomit, just like old times. Tonight I will humiliate you and degrade you, ruin your body for that pathetic being of an Angel. If you should ever escape from here again, you will _not_ leave here intact – no one will be able to fix you."

"Promises, promises!" Sanji snapped at him, elbowing him to get some space. "Stop breathing on me! And I'll have you know, my husband is a gifted surgeon! I think…so he can fix me!"

Katakuri laughed grandly as he straightened up. "Not even he could fix you. Angels can't lay their hands on a Demon – whatever works for them won't work on you."

Grumbling because he was right about that, Sanji continued moving about. He looked at the time, feeling close to tears – he had been so close to claiming Law's body! _Finally_! He'd received an answer, an answer that could've taken them to heaven and hell on the same ride! He felt Katakuri's hands on him, violating him over his clothing and rapidly jerked around with indignation.

"I didn't say you can touch me yet!"

"Just making it difficult for any friend of yours to reach you," Katakuri said, having withdrew his cellphone. He crushed it within one hand as Sanji watched him with dismay. Tossing aside the mangled device, Katakuri shoved him towards the cabinets. "Get to it! I _will_ be satisfied tonight!"

Grumbling, Sanji continued gathering his supplies.

Hours later, as the sun was starting to make an appearance in the horizon, he was feeding Katakuri while dressed as Princess Leia and the magenta freak was Jabba the Hutt. Jabba kept demanding to be hand fed and would yank Leia's literal chain for more, so Leia would had to feed him dessert after dessert with the same spunky fire as Leia did in the movie. It was when Katakuri choked on an extra chewy donut that Sanji used his prop chain to further choke him to unconsciousness. He managed to escape by figuring out the code to the front door and leave the penthouse, ignoring the puzzled looks of early morning risers as Leia made her getaway.

He was exhausted by the time he made it back to his apartment. Katakuri was right – he'd left Sanji feeling sore, broken and used; since Zeff loved making desserts at the café, Sanji hadn't been used to creating such delicious treats to Katakuri's demands so he was feeling all his used muscles. Katakuri had refused to let him use the electronic mixer, claiming hand beaten things tasted better. He truly was a spiteful Demon.

Once Law saw Sanji, his tortured expression from spending all night lamenting over what had happened turned alarmed as Sanji squealed and hid himself in the bathroom.

"Were you dressed as _Leia_?" he heard Law ask incredulously outside the door.

Sanji tore the wig from his head and threw it at the shower. "NO! Damn you! I told you to kill us both! This is partly your fault!"

"We need to talk about this!"

"We'll talk about nothing!" Sanji snarled, starting the shower. He climbed in before testing the temperature and scrubbed off all the flour, frosting and sprinkles from his body. He hollered at the switch from cold to hot as Law pounded on the door, Bepo barking alongside him. "This is something that needs to remain mine, something I can't ever talk about it! You hear me?"

The door crashed open, Law heaving for breath. It had taken a strange amount of superhuman effort to even do such a thing. Bepo darted in, sniffing at the fallen costume on the floor. It horrified Law to see all the food coloring and white cream stains – giving him a different idea of what had happened. He thought he was going to faint.

"Law." Sanji turned the shower off and shoved the curtain aside, towel wrapped around his waist. He still had the gold chain around his neck – he couldn't find a way to pick the lock. Bepo barked at him before resuming licking at the frosting left on his belt. "This is part of it. This is me. I did some things in my past I'm not proud of, but…I'm not like that, now."

Law's jaw was tense as he stared at him. The Demon looked back at him with defiance and no sign of apology – he shouldn't have to apologize, and while Law was aware that Sanji was involved with some questionable things in his past, he wasn't quite sure how to process this one. A part of him was bamboozled with the thought that Sanji cosplayed – another part of him demanded that he should be sympathetic and understanding. It was hard to separate these things. He felt unprepared, despite the fact he'd been up all night thinking the very worst, tormented by the event.

"I accept that," he said slowly, words struggling in his tight throat. "But…I don't know how to accept that you'd do this with someone else when…"

"Well, I didn't have a choice, right?" Sanji said with a roll of his eyes. "That guy can see future actions – funny he didn't see this one – so I probably would have wound up dead like he said. But I would have been okay with it if you'd actually done it."

" _I_ wouldn't!"

"You don't understand," Sanji heaved, falling to his knees and hands, Bepo darting away from him. "The things he made me do…I can't…I…"

"In a Leia costume?" Law asked skeptically, crouching to pick up the bikini. It even had those silicone halves tucked inside of it to give Sanji's chest a little _oomph_. Sanji snatched that away from him and threw it behind him into the shower. He then covered his face with both hands.

" _My shame is unmounted_!"

Law wondered if he should mention he was personally interested in this. But he knew he shouldn't – it was actually rude. Plus, he was feeling insecure because Sanji chose to go with this dude while they were in the middle of their date. So he should definitely bring that up, instead.

His lips moved from side to side as he considered appropriate responses.

"So, you fit a small bikini?" he questioned. Then winced. That didn't come out the way he'd wanted.

" _Are you making fun of me_?"

"No!" Law huffed out, crouching cautiously near the man. He wasn't sure if he should touch him. The way Sanji was laying Law could see his cut wings, again. Law was amazed at how much he wanted to touch that vulnerable, intimate part of the man before him. His hands tingled, so he placed on the floor to support himself instead. "So…part of your sordid past includes kinky sex with others? I understand that you had other partners…"

Sanji looked at him incredulously. " _Sex_ with that guy? NO! Did you see him? His dick would destroy everything I value and find precious! NO, you moron, he makes me dress up and feed him desserts that I make!"

Law wasn't sure what sort of face to make, so it remained blank. "…Oh."

"One day it's _this_ , the next it's me dressed up as Mr Pink and he's Mr Blond, and we're covered in pig's blood to act out the ear scene! With food!"

"Oh….Oh dear, that's…"

"Acting out kinky fanfiction food scenes isn't one of my proudest moments!" Sanji wailed, covering his face.

Law definitely was at a loss of words. He might've left the Earth on a brief rotation to somehow get his thoughts together. A part of him was interested in this kink – another felt relieved that it wasn't what he'd thought.

He cleared his throat noisily, hesitating before reaching out and patting one shaking shoulder. "There, there," he said awkwardly.

Sniffling, Sanji rubbed his face. Law felt the urge to hug him in some way – similar to the way he'd hold Bepo when his pet was feeling the need to be comforted. But he wondered if it would be appropriate in this circumstance – Sanji was only wearing a towel.

"You held yourself back," Sanji then said, looking at him with such disappointment that Law felt his heart do that stuttering action it did that other day. He felt wretched. "In that form, you held back. I was angry at you – "

"Well, logically, I didn't want to kill you," Law stated. "Even in that state, I was able to recognize you in some way."

"I wasn't able to kill him, but I'm sure now that he knows I'm back, he'll show up somehow. He doesn't know I cut off all my old contacts out here, and Zeff and the others – I'm not easily found. But the way he works, he can find me if he was able to focus on my future, so I did everything possible to keep him focused on last night – " Sanji looked away with shame. "I put everything I had into this role."

Law couldn't help but place Sanji in other roles, so it was awkward for him to say anything at that moment. The race of excitement in him made him feel ashamed and low. He focused on the dim bathroom lights to keep himself present.

"Today we're scheduled to meet the others at the zoo," he said carefully, Sanji wiping his face again as he looked at him. "Through my friends, I was able to find an appropriate costume – "

"I'm not dressing up for that!"

"But if it would make you feel better, you and I can have matching costumes!"

" _How would that make me feel better_?" Sanji roared in outrage before he looked at Law's sheepish expression and realized he _really_ wanted to see him look ridiculous in some furry outfit. He sniffled. "What kind of costume?"

Law lit up.

: :

"Well? How did your date go last night?" Hudson asked the moment Law appeared in their shared class later that morning.

"Oh, it'll make a bad Reddit thread," Law said grimly, sliding into his chair while Hudson winced, hoping it didn't break underneath him. He liked his friend, but he wished Law would take better care of himself. He understood that Law had another form under this Glamour but it was hard to change his mind when he hadn't seen that form for himself.

"How bad?"

"Well…he was kidnapped by a Demon ex, I almost killed them both, but he managed to escape and come home in time to make it to work. Before that, we actually made some head way into getting closer," Law added shyly.

Hudson looked at him in awe.

"We're going to the zoo, tonight. With our new Angel friends. After the horror he went through, he thought he might feel better if we matched our costumes. So…could you provide a similar outfit in an adult's small?"

"O-of course," Hudson said shakily. He found it weird that Law was now expressing them as a couple; it almost felt like they were going to lose him through the dreaded couple black hole, where only the pair of them existed and their previous friends were only after thoughts.

Law hesitated for a bit, then added in a whisper, "Women's small."

Hudson gave him a skeptical look. "He is pretty skinny, but…I don't know if I should – "

"This size is correct. I was able to verify it."

Hudson wondered why Law suddenly looked so pleased. He was afraid to think any further on it. But by the end of their school day, he had the costume in hand. Law looked childishly excited as he took it and left, leaving Hudson standing there with Ptarmigan and Shachi in the parking lot with some puzzled looks.

"It has to be some sort of new kink," he said slowly.

"He's a furry, now?" Ptarmigan asked with horror.

"Some sort of thing at the zoo."

" _Wow_. Now, that's going overboard for a kink. I hope I don't catch any sight of him in any Snap Chat posts on Twitter."

"What are you guys doing?" Penguin asked tentatively, walking up to them from the side.

The three of them brushed off the topic. "Ready for some games?" Shachi asked him tentatively. "We haven't had a good squad game going in awhile."

"I'm sorry, guys. This is really weird for me, too," Penguin apologized. "I'm still trying to accept that he's one of them."

"Nothing's changed that much," Ptarmigan scoffed. "He's still the same, but growing adventurous."

"Waaayyyy too adventurous," Hudson muttered.

With an unsettled expression, Penguin hoisted his backpack to one shoulder. "I wanted to talk to Law. I know he agreed to go out with Sanji, but I saw Sanji with some guy at the museum last night. So I thought Law should know that Sanji isn't exactly straight with him."

"Those words shouldn't be used together with this topic."

"They were at the museum last night," Shachi said with a puzzled expression. "You might've saw him without his Demon Glamour."

Penguin looked uncomfortable. "Oh. Maybe."

"What did he look like? He hasn't shown us that form at all!"

"Well…he didn't look like how we know him as. I don't know, I was mad because I know my old buddy was getting into this same sex thing, but…I didn't know that was him…"

"Aw, Penguin, you see? There's nothing to worry about!" Shachi exclaimed, patting his shoulder. "He's still the same ole dude, but he's got other things going on that we should be happy for him for!"

"I guess…but I spent four hours trapped in some rumble at Subway because a huge fight broke out," Penguin confessed bitterly. "I couldn't get out of the bathroom because someone threw a car in the building and brought it down."

"…Oh."

Penguin sighed. "Guys, I know you're being supportive of him and everything, but after being trapped for hours in that bathroom, I got to thinking – is he really doing the right thing in exploring his options? It seems like most of his influence is coming from that Demon, and he's really doing things that are just…I mean…"

"He's enjoying his new life!"

"But if that guy wasn't involved, _would_ he be doing it like this? It seems like I'm getting a notification every night because he's laying into weird opponents – and this didn't start until he met Sanji."

"Law's exploration into this part of his life was something he got interested in once he realized it was okay," Shachi explained. "So this is part of it."

"But he wasn't gay before. He wasn't interested in dressing up as a freaking animal just to join some Angel dudes that he had to beat into submission into noticing him. He wasn't causing buildings to fall because some dude challenged him at the museum. _If_ that was him."

"It was," Hudson said slowly. "Sanji's ex turned up and he got kidnapped and Law said he didn't kill them and was feeling guilty but…"

Penguin made a double gesture at Hudson to indicate his point to the others. " _See_? How crazy is that? If Sanji wasn't in his life, he wouldn't be doing all these weird things!"

"He really likes Sanji, Penguin," Shachi argued. "And that guy probably didn't know all this stuff would happen, anyway."

"But _he's_ a Demon - !"

"A Demon with clipped wings!"

"If Law was in Angel form and he wanted to kill both Sanji and his ex, he's a real Demon!" Penguin argued. "There's something fishy about Sanji that Sanji's not telling Law. He's leading him into a trap, and you guys are okay with that?"

The three looked at him uncomfortably.

Counting off his fingers, Penguin stated, "One, Law is a rare form. Not even his guardians could help him. Two, he runs into Sanji, Sanji gets weird, and suddenly Law decides he'll learn more about himself if he sticks to the guy. Who was _stalking_ him! Three, he faces down a freaking _god_ conveniently right in front of Sanji's workplace! Four, suddenly they're running into three Angels, they're beaten into submission, and five, all of a sudden they run into one of Sanji's exes, whose a Demon himself. Think about it, you idiots! Sanji is running him through tests for some unknown reason!"

Unable to come up with anything in defense, the trio looked at each other without anything to say. Penguin sighed heavily. "I've had some time to think about this – even if I don't agree with his new thing, or I feel scared…he is my friend. And I think he's too blinded by the fact that his this life is just too exciting and new for him to realize what sort of a trap he's running into. I could say all the words in the world to try and encourage him to look at this differently, but he won't hear me."

"So…what should we do?"

Uncomfortably, Penguin said, "We need to find out first what Sanji is. Then stop him."

"And if you're wrong about all these things? That it was just coincidence?" Shachi ventured. "What's the penalty?"

"I'm not going to need it because I'm right."

Ptarmigan sighed noisily, hiking up his bag. "The zoo is introducing a new exhibit tonight. That's where they're going. Why don't we check it out for ourselves? I think if we hang out at a safe distance, you can see for yourself what the situation is, Penguin."

" _Fine_. Let's do it."

: :

Sanji stared at Law with a very disappointed frown. After last night's horror show with Katakuri, he found himself dressed as female fox that included a school girl's skirt and sailor shirt – with furry ears and a tail that included a bright yellow bow. Law was dressed as a male fox, but with a male school uniform. The Angels had their versions of foxes, but their costumes were full blown fox suits with cutouts to allow their faces free. Surprisingly, there was a lot of zoo visitors with fox accessories to celebrate the new fox exhibit. Nami had on ears and tail, with furry paws – she wore hers with a slinky body suit that many women were complaining over.

"Everyone looks so _cute_!" she exclaimed, taking pictures. Luffy and Ussop were mock fighting each other while Zoro yawned, carrying a water bottle that she knew was filled with something other than water. She took photos of all of them, including one of a beaming Law with a scowling Sanji. "Cheer up, Demon. You don't look dumb – both of you look so precious!"

Kolby appeared, carrying snacks. Luffy promptly attacked him, causing him to yowl as he struggled to escape with his limbs unscathed. He adjusted his fox ears nervously as he looked around himself. "Hopefully this night ends in fun, and not terror!"

"Our lady will be on his best behavior," Nami promised him, slinking up to Sanji and wrapping an arm around him. She poked at his gloomy face. "Besides, this is a _zoo_! Nothing bad will happen here. This is a promising evening for fun and cute Snap Chat pictures!"

"As long as we stay away from the spider house," Kolby said nervously.

"If we follow this map, we can pick up scavenger items along the way," Law said, unfolding his piece of paper. The zoo, in an effort to promote its exhibit, had included a scavenger hunt where they could punch into certain locations to receive stickers that would lead up to a prize at the end.

"I'm not ready for that sort of commitment," Zoro complained. "I thought we were just going to look at some animals and get to go home."

"Zoro!" Luffy cried, nacho cheese coloring his cheeks. "How can you be so selfish? How many times have we come to the zoo?"

"Like, twice a week."

"This is bullshit!" Sanji snarled, throwing his ears to the ground. "I thought when you said we get to dress up, I was thinking hoodies with ears! Not damn furry costumes!"

"But _Sanji_ ," Luffy panted heavily, suddenly clinging to his back and making him shiver, "where's the fun in that? Don't you want to have some _fun_? This is what it's like when Angels have fun – we get together as a group to wet our fun sticks with cheer and joy and finish messily with some hard breathing _because_ of our fun."

"GAHHHHH get off!" Sanji screamed, attempting to throw him away.

" _Fun sticks_ ," Kolby repeated carefully, unsure of what to think.

"Kind of like an oil dipsticks, but not," Ussop explained patiently to him.

"Every time I hang out with you guys, I feel like I need to explain myself to Jesus."

"I realize that this wasn't what you were expecting," Law said sheepishly, lowering his map, "but I thought it would take your mind off things."

"What happened? Something interesting?" Zoro asked. Nami couldn't take him seriously – while his face was stoic, the costume he wore made him ridiculous. His green hair clashed with his costume color.

"I don't want to talk about it!" Sanji shouted from the trashcan, in the middle of attempting to stuff Luffy inside.

"We ran into an ex of his," Law said low. "A Demon."

"How great. Maybe he'll come here," Zoro said with rising confidence. "I haven't been able to kill one in ages."

Tapping his fox paws together, Law said with uncertainty, "I don't. I wanted to make this a fun evening in which he would feel better but maybe I overthought some things."

"Don't worry about it," Nami snickered, siding up to him with a dazzled expression. She pressed her voluptuous chest up against him in an effort to get his attention. Law stiffened in place.

 _Will I lose my arm to a land mollusk_? he thought with a panicked expression.

"I'm sure we'll have a very _lovely_ evening."

She screeched as an empty drink container bounced off her ears, Sanji throwing it at her with a hiss. He retrieved his ears and shoved them onto his head as Zoro leaned into him with a hungry expression, Ussop coming up behind him with his eyes darkened with predatory action. He froze as he settled his Demon urges to rip Nami's boobs from her chest, then elbowed them both to create space. Kolby understood that Sanji was a Demon, so it made sense that Angels looked at him in the same way he caught himself looking at Emma Watson. It disturbed him.

"Let's get this damn evening over with!" Sanji snapped.

Unbeknownst to them, Doflamingo and Corazon were retrieving their maps from an unsettled cashier, both of their ugly outfits gleaming in the zoo lights. One was wearing an overly sparkly track suit meant more for disco clubs while another was wearing a heart emblazoned jumpsuit – complete with Crocs. Polarized Cat's Eye glasses in place, Doflamingo inhaled deeply of the depression he could feel from the zoo animals all around him.

"This will be a _beautiful_ way to end an unbearable week," he exhaled slowly, thick lips protruding outward as Corazon looked at his map with a frown. "Seeing sad animals in glass cages always makes me happy."

"I see they closed down the spider house for renovations," Corazon muttered darkly. "Here, I was looking forward to that."

"Don't worry, brother! We will find where they keep them!"

In the parking lot, Katakuri rubbed at his neck, where the impression of chain-rub was covertly hidden underneath an animal print scarf. He could see Sanji and his Angel boyfriend looking over the giraffe fields, looking back at him with horror – but that was where the vision ended. He gripped his steering wheel delicately.

In the row behind him, Shachi and the others piled out of his car, all of them dressed in gamer jackets or sweaters, dusting themselves off from fast food.

It was going to be a spectacular evening for all.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Cue the sad, misery music! I battled mightily to keep this to a casual rom-com without my usual battle/fight scene fetishes involved because I would be carried away to other long winded tangents like my other fics. So…yah. Thanks Naghi-tan, HS, and Fyoyaran for your thoughts!**

 _ **Chapter Fifteen**_

* * *

At the wooden walkway overlooking the chimpanzees, Law looked at Sanji. He seemed to be doing fine – the sad faces and depressing air hanging around the mammals seemed to make the Demon a bit cheerful. Combined with Luffy pressing himself against the glass mimicking their calls, it made for a rather miserable aura. Sanji had a light smile on his face so Law assumed his mood was doing better.

In spite of this, Law's internal cute attraction was at maximum level. There was something about the way Sanji carried himself in his costume despite earning curious looks from those around them. It was hard to carry off the ridiculous costume but he moved around in it with a sassy sort of air that was undeniably _cute_. His skirt flapped in the gentle night breeze, tail ruffling. He'd come to start accepting that his Angel side really admired the man in a different sort of way than his Demon side – it seemed his admiration of Sanji as a bad boy stimulated his good senses in venturing into some forbidden zone.

He couldn't help but think that Sanji was so cool standing there, seemingly without a care to his expression at how he looked – his blond hair flapped gently in the night breeze, his facial features were bored and he yet he still carried himself with all the grace and stature of a man that would've been comfortable in a three piece suit.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm absolutely miserable," Sanji muttered, watching a chimpanzee mother hug her child to her. He lit a cigarette, despite all the signs around him warning against it.

Law couldn't help but notice the way Sanji's lips curled around the stick so casually, looking like something that belonged to a long ago Marlboro ad. He wondered if it were true, that smokers tasted like ashtrays. It was scary to acknowledge how much he wanted to find out for himself.

"…Is that a good thing?"

"Being surrounded by morons making fools of themselves is absolutely refreshing. Makes the animals more miserable as they're mocked."

Law felt sorry for the creatures – it really pained him to see them look so sad in their confinements. But if it made the Demon happy…he _really_ wanted to switch over so he wouldn't feel so bad but it would ruin his exploration of a side he hadn't any comfort of knowledge in. So far, he had to acknowledge that he'd mostly felt unhappy in his experiment; he hadn't found any positives regarding life as an Angel to be of any benefit to him. All it seemed to be doing was putting him into a position where he felt mostly like an idiot, and forcing Sanji into doing difficult things along with him.

But he felt good with that – despite all of Sanji's hounding and ridiculous actions, he truly wanted Law to succeed, even with knowing that he might lose him. It made him compare his actions to those of his precious friends – even if they were uncomfortable, they still supported him. So Sanji's actions spoke a lot, and it truly touched Law. Sanji wasn't in it for his money or future – he was in it for him.

Realizing this made Law feel a whole of new discomfort.

"I appreciate you sticking with this," Law then said, glad Sanji hadn't wandered off with the various women that had tried engaging them both into conversation. "Thank you."

Sanji glanced at him. Despite his miserable mood, there was something amusing about seeing this Angel standing casually in some ridiculous furry costume. He looked so serious most of the time that he was unaware of how stupid he looked. Sanji just _loved_ him. If only they could return to his apartment and act out some of the primal mating that their furry costumes displayed them as. More amusing if these costumers stayed on throughout.

 _What does the fox say, Sanji_? He could hear Law asking him in that lovely, melodic voice he had.

 _More! Harder!_ He heard himself crying out.

For a moment his thoughts were lost in the fantasy, forgetting what was said. Law interpreted this silence awkwardly as Sanji just gathering his thoughts, for Sanji wore a terse expression.

But last night's horrible events left Sanji too exhausted to show his usual exuberance.

"I was hoping this ridiculousness would take your mind off last night."

"Do you think differently of me?" Sanji mumbled self-consciously. The painful memory of Katakuri bellowing out Jabba's laugh between being fed sweets and Sanji's Leia-tinged curses coursed through his thoughts, making him cringe. Admittedly, it wasn't as bad as the time they'd cosplayed as Lucy and Desi with chocolate treats. He'd had some sort of eye infection from the fake lashes he'd worn that night, and Katakuri had a hard time losing the forced accent – things that made them erupt violently at each, shutting down an entire avenue as they battled it out. Sanji was pretty sure that this was his motivation to sleep with his little sister out of spite.

"Honestly…every bit of it is positive for me," Law admitted slowly. Sanji pinned him with a glare, wondering if Law enjoyed his humiliation. "Mostly because I haven't had this much fun in…a _different_ sort of fun, not exactly the things I'm used to…so, I've been a range of new emotions since I met you."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah. I think at the end of the day it's important to me that you're included."

"That sounds like a very good thing!" Sanji exclaimed with excitement. He captured his arm and nuzzled against it until the smell of Law's Angel side made him gag, causing him to pull away. "It's like you accept it, then deny me with your damn Angel spirit just to tease!"

"Admittedly…I think I've come to a conclusion regarding it. But I do intend on concluding this night out as one, just to be sure of myself."

"Then you'll revert to your delicious Demon beauty for the rest of our lifetime together?" Sanji asked hopefully. "I just know that once you have, our sex life will improve!"

"In order to have a sex life, we actually have to start one – "

"Is that a 'yes'?" Sanji asked, breathing heavily as he watched Law's expression closely. But Law looked off into another direction to prevent showing any fear in the matter. His heart raced with anxiety – but he had to admit, he did feel curious for the aspect.

"Does this mean I can proceed with the wedding plans?"

"Wha…? _No_. Dating is fine right now – "

"I will wear the pants, and you can wear the dress," Sanji fantasized, delighted at the image until it disappeared abruptly. He deliberately looked down at Law's legs before making eye contact with him. "I've never seen you naked. Do you have tattoos there, too?"

Law cleared his throat noisily. "I enjoy my time with you. I think it can change positively in the future."

"Don't avoid my question. Who's the man putting his hands on you to do this? I don't like the thought of you giving your body to someone else when you won't allow me to -!"

"I do my own tattoos."

"… _How_?"

"Would you be interested? I've gotten so much better at it," Law offered.

"No. The thought of having needles coloring my skin makes me feel anxious." Sanji then reconsidered it, leering at him moments later. "Unless it's your name, marking your territory?"

Law didn't want to admit that he could already see his designs on Sanji's clean, beautiful skin. Sanji would look good with hearts, considering his attitude towards love. But he didn't want to admit to this, sure it sounded creepy. "Maybe we should start off with more casual things, like borrowing my shirt or – "

"I'm absolutely fine with borrowing your fluids!" Sanji cried happily. "Give it all to me, and I won't waste a single drop - !"

"You guys want some?" Zoro cut in with a literal insert of his body between them so that Sanji was forced to stop his action of nearly glomping the taller fox. He wasn't fast enough to avoid being hit by it, the plastic bouncing off his face as Zoro showed off the contents with a wiggle. Before either could answer he tossed all of it back, belched noisily and strolled away to find a trash can. Kids found him hilarious, instantly turning away from the exhibit to pounce on him, laughing and screaming. Amidst his startled howls as he was violently taken to the ground under their weight, Luffy hollered out their next destination. Nami was busy scamming the attention of a single father, and Law gave her a judgmental frown before following after them.

"I think it's about time, Law," Sanji said, oozing up next to him, pulling on his uniform so he could draw his back up against his front. Law froze because all of him tingled and reacted in a way where all his defenses just failed. Nuzzling up against his back, Sanji murmured, "It's time to give it all away to me. You know it's going to happen, so get it over now rather than later! You don't want to have any regrets!"

"I think we will continue moving slowly on that aspect," Law said uncomfortably as he twisted away. "Traditionally, we have until the third date to even venture – "

"Then I get to pick our next outing."

"Oh. Um, sure, that's fair…"

"We're hitting the movies. A brand new action flick just came out," Sanji said with determination. "'Don Juanita and the Seven Dwarves'. Swept the awards show recently…"

"Is that Disney?" Law asked curiously.

"It's foreign. _Bukakke_."

"Ah…I'm good with subtitles."

With a gleeful smile, Sanji rubbed his hands with victory.

Law fiddled with his fox paws before removing them, tucking them into his pants pockets. "Um…will another situation like last night happen?"

Sanji sighed as Luffy ran by, carrying Kolby over one shoulder. A line of kids ran after them, shouting and laughing.

"What does the fox say?" Luffy screamed joyfully.

" _PUT ME DOWN_!"

In unison the kids repeated after Kolby, making such a loud crack of sound that people looked around in alarm. Luffy then released his imitation of a fox's chatter, Kolby hollering in misery. The kids followed in tandem so when they were far enough ahead to make their voices faint, Sanji was able to answer.

"Possibly," he said miserably. "I did a lot of things with a lot of people, so they'd…it's not impossible to think that they'd show as suddenly as this one did."

Law nodded to acknowledge this. "But you've changed your life around, and you're not that person anymore."

" _Yes_ , without question!"

"Then it'll be fine. I mean…I know that it might come back to bite like last night, but it's obvious you've made an effort to do your best. So I think that whatever happens…I will learn to handle it appropriately."

Sanji looked at him with utter astonishment.

"Every day has turned into a new experience for me," Law said slowly, looking at his hands. He had no idea how the zoo lights transformed him into such a sparkling creature from heaven that older couples sneaked photos of him, women openly gaped and men glared. Frankly, the light blinded Sanji's eyes and gave him a headache – so he kept his attention averted whenever possible to save himself. "And I'd like to continue exploring it – at my own pace, if you don't mind."

Sanji sighed. "Well, this is the longest I've gone with someone without getting into their pants, so this is a learning experience for me, too."

Anxiously, Law asked, "Are you one of those virgin hunters?"

"Normally, any sane person would have run away by now. If it were too troublesome, I would have moved on. But you're worth it." With a half smile, Sanji admitted, "I had a good time so far. I mean… considering all the chaos, it's been…it's been great. Pure, weird fun. Hmm. Clean, too. It's the longest I've been sober. I do have you to thank for that."

"Well, admittedly, I was using you, too, to explore my options."

"Great! Then I don't feel so bad!"

"Me either," Law said with relief. Something bounced off his head, and Sanji caught it – it was an empty drink container. He looked out suspiciously at those around them while Law froze. It was tradition of his friends to hit him with something if they felt that he was out of line, and this was definitely one of their signals. He was horrified that they'd followed him here, where he was sure to embarrass himself.

"I mean," he corrected slowly, looking around them for any sign of his friends. But he couldn't sense them as an Angel – he would have to revert to his Demon side to be aware of their cuteness. "I do feel bad…for…most of my…selfish reasons. I should be more considerate of…of what we do and what I say."

"I don't care," Sanji said, tossing the cup over his shoulder and into some nicely tended brush that lined the path. "Because it benefits me in the end."

"But I should correct it when necessary – "

"As a Demon, _I don't care_. I've always encouraged you to abuse me to every molecule I have in order to show that you care."

"True," Law said uncomfortably, tapping at his fingers. He wanted to remove his ridiculous costume, sure his friends were laughing and making fun of him. His nervousness started to make him sweat, eyes moving from person to person with agitation.

Sanji stared at him suspiciously. "Why is the act changing?"

"It's not! I'm only trying to be more conscious of what I'm doing."

"Don't start changing just because you decided you want this dick. I won't forgive you."

"It's not your – _dick_ – I want, it's your…mind, your heart - !"

Hand to his chest, Sanji asked eagerly, "Will I still be alive when you take those things from me?"

Law gave him a horrified look. "I hope so!"

Sanji was a quivering puddle at his feet, clinging to his legs with heavy breathing. Law then understood that he was taking this in a different way than what he'd intended on expressing. People looked at them oddly as they passed by.

"I'm sorry, I delivered that statement wrong…"

"Never mind, I realized that I can't take your words at my value when you're like this – " Sanji narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of something, pushing his head between Law's knees. Law nearly stumbled over him because Sanji's hands clasped his knees so abruptly, so he caught himself by bracing against his back, accidentally pushing against the stumps of his wings. The sudden touch and weight caused Sanji to squeak with the shock of the touch, standing with a jump and inadvertently catching Law on his shoulders and tossing him into the bushes.

" _Mother_! Father!" Law heard Sanji exclaim happily, dashing off. He struggled to climb out before he caught sight of Sanji approaching Doflamingo and Corazon. He disappeared back with a hiss of surprise, not wanting to be caught wearing his costume in front of them. What pained him was that the pair was there – what alarmed him was that their free, casual Demon auras could catch the attention of the Angels, because his was starting to ring out.

Positioning himself underneath the brush with a grit of his teeth, he glanced down the walkway to see Zoro pausing in mid-step.

" _No_!" he hissed in alarm, quickly abandoning his Angel self for his Demon presence to avoid his own conflict with his former(?) guardians.

"Is that a new animal?" Doflamingo questioned, ignoring Sanji as he approached. "What a particularly pitiful cry for help…are they killing it as a spectator sport?"

"Don't be rude, it's our son-in-law," Corazon admonished.

"I'll find a way to kill him," Doflamingo assured his brother.

Corazon stopped slurping at his zoo cup, which was full of wine. "Hello, Sanji. Here to soak up the melancholy?"

"Your son was decent enough to humiliate me in front of many others by bringing me here," Sanji said politely. He marveled over the pair's freedom of dress, despite the fact that he was hideously repulsed by the other of them. But he wanted to make a great impression for his future in-laws.

"Has he taken you to the spider house, yet?"

Sanji's skin crawled at the thought. "No, unfortunately it's closed."

Doflamingo snorted, turning away from watching zebras mating. "Just because there's a lock on the door doesn't mean they aren't there."

Corazon stopped slurping again to look at Sanji with misery. "We plan on visiting it right after we leave the safari zone. You guys should join us. I haven't seen our son since he decided to rebel."

"I'm sure he'd be very unhappy to hear your invitation," Sanji said, turning to show off his beautiful husband until he realized that Law was nowhere in sight. He blinked with confusion.

"Why would he be _unhappy_?" Doflamingo asked on a challenging tone while Sanji looked at him. "He should be delighted! He should be relieved to know that we're still alive and kicking! Of course we wouldn't _die_ just because he's gone, but he should have been thinking that we did while he was away!"

"…Uh…"

"Stop teasing him," Corazon said impatiently. "Doffy misses him. He has no one to tease at home."

"I don't miss him!"

"I heard you crying the other night because there was no one there to comment on your new nightgown."

"Not in front of the foreigner!" Doflamingo hissed at his brother while indicating Sanji subtly.

Sanji then noticed Zoro looking in their direction, kids crawling all over him. Ussop had been rescuing Kolby until he dropped him, turning to face them with a somewhat blinded expression. At the end of the walkway, Luffy stopped in mid-run. Sanji gulped, grabbing his in-law's arms and pushing them towards the opposite end.

"Let's go see the spiders!" he suggested.

"Why are you rushing me?" Doflamingo demanded, nearly losing his glasses. "I intend on finishing this tour to an African hunting trip! I want to know what animals to wear and what to hang up!"

"There are Angels present! And if they catch you - !"

"Sanji," Corazon said patiently. "We can sense our natural enemies from miles away. _Of course_ we knew there are Angels present – we don't care."

"But they're Law's new friends," Sanji hissed. "This is part of his project - !"

"Where is that little asshole, anyway? I hope he's hiding himself away to avoid talking to us so I can make a huge scene when I find him," Doflamingo demanded, looking around until he caught sight of the furries coming their way. "Oh. How nasty. They just allow these animals to walk freely like this?"

With a considering frown, Corazon pulled his straw away to look at his drink while the Angels marched over with determined expression. "How much have I been drinking?"

 _Oh no_! Sanji thought with consternation as Luffy led the pack. Kolby hung back with an uncertain expression, unsure if he should venture forward. But Sanji noticed that Ussop was hiding behind him, pushing him forward like a shield.

"Wait, wait!" he called out, hurrying over to stop the teen from advancing. "You can't do this – these are Law's _parents_!"

"Oh, thank god," Kolby said with relief, turning to make his getaway. "Let's get the rest of our stamps!"

"This obviously isn't that!" Ussop snapped at him, grabbing his shirt and pushing him in front of him. "It's a confrontation between men! Stand your ground!"

"They smell like meat rotating in the rollers for a few days at 7-11," Luffy said with a determined face. "And I haven't been regular since Tuesday! I'm prepared to clean out my colon!"

" _Ugh_ …NO! You can't do this, you don't understand, this is a zoo! With – if you guys start fighting now, animals will be threatened! There's kids around! You can't do this," Sanji said hastily, pushing against him.

"Think of the meerkats!" Kolby cried anxiously.

" _Ah_ ," Doflamingo exclaimed, towering over them to look Zoro in the face. The Angel's face twitched with anticipation. "Cora! Look at this one! I can wear this one with my flamey capris! The colors fit nicely!"

"Looks like trash," Corazon said with concern. "Maybe you should wipe yourself with it."

"It'd rub _so good_ ," Doflamingo commented tightly with a wide grin into Zoro's face. "Cleaning all my crevices with all the gentility of a dry bidet!"

"I will leave an impossible rash behind," Zoro promised him, looking ferocious. "One that will have you trying to scratch all those crevices for weeks!"

"You better stop talking to him that way," Ussop threatened from behind a shaking Kolby. "He'll leave behind a paper trail!"

Zoro looked confused – he was pretty sure Nami was the one with the map.

"STOP!" Law inserted himself between the groups, his human appearance guaranteeing no alliance to either side. Sanji lit up because Law was easier to look at. While his beauty was plainer, he could actually look at him and admire the man's every feature. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Our child looks like he gained a few pounds," Corazon complained, reaching out to pinch his waist and causing him to jerk away. "Sanji, have you been feeding him?"

"Well, yes…"

"Then _stop_. His lovely gaunt features are filling out – Doffy has aspirations in that he'll be the next leader in male body dysmorphic disorders."

" _Well_ …."

"That's rather cruel of you," Luffy said, struggling to stave his grin. "To encourage millions of impressionable minds to pursue the perfect male body! When all it needs is photoshop and a filter!"

"Nothing tastes better than what skinny feels," Doflamingo said, jabbing at Zoro's forehead. Zoro's teeth clamped down on his finger, causing him to yell, jerking backward. " _This_ animal needs to be sedated!"

"It's strange," Corazon commented, examining his thin, split nails, "normally, any Angel would attack a Demon in a straight rage. But you're holding back…?"

Luffy looked mystified, examining himself with a hasty patting to find the answer to this.

"This must be _your_ doing," Doflamingo accused Law. "You were always such a rotten child. You're interfering with the laws of nature! Is that why you prefer _that_ name compared to your other - ?"

Law clamped a hand over his face to prevent him from speaking his full name out loud then said, "Thanks for acknowledging that, but a confrontation of this scale doesn't need to be done, here. There are innocent animals and people present. Any destruction will trouble them."

"We _eat_ animals, Law! Not save them!"

"We can't have sympathy for our food, Law," Luffy whispered. "Otherwise, we'd go hungry."

"Literally none of these animals are things we'd normally eat," Kolby said with a frown.

"Are we going to fight, or what?" Zoro asked impatiently.

"Look," Law said, gathering a deep breath, "whatever this is – coincidence, fate, or not, let's just walk away from each other. I don't want any confrontation to ruin this evening."

Luffy gaped at him. "How can you say that? What, are you trying to start a fight with us, too?"

"No, I just - !"

Zoro jabbed Law's chest with accusatory action. "You are a _wimpy_ man, Law. Maybe it's best you don't convert to our side after all."

Seeing this, Corazon slammed his cup against Doflamingo's chest. "Hold my drink, Doffy! That green asshole just called our baby a wimp!"

Doflamingo held him back. "No, don't! Let him prove himself! He's a man, now, not a child! We have to let him fly!"

Ussop laughed at them, then hastily shoved Kolby in front of him once they looked at him.

Law swatted Zoro's hand away. "NO! It's just that we don't have to hop into some stupid conflict every time we're outside! This law that we are supposed to follow is absolutely pointless! God is fucking ridiculous if this is what He wants from us!"

Luffy covered his mouth with another gasp.

"So, this is what it means to be a shoulder devil," Ussop whispered in awe. "You can think that way without interference from your governing instincts."

"Oh, please don't strike us down because of him," Kolby whispered to the sky, hands in prayer form.

"First off, Demons are here are meant to cause a specific type of chaos, and Angels are here to stop it, _right_? The museum last night displayed certain types of world war battles on a grand scale that included intense conflict between countries and governments! In this time, Doffy caused eating disorders amongst men on the goddamn internet, Enel was fucking bored enough to challenge me to a pointless battle to see if I were anything of a challenge, Corazon was the major push for alcohol sales at fucking Target - !"

"Thank you for making it so affordable," Zoro whispered to Corazon, who nodded at him.

" – and you Angels are so hungry for a damn fight that you'd leave your damn jobs in the middle of it just smelling a Demon blocks away! There's no point to _any_ of this!" Law exclaimed. "All of us now are fucking bored superhumans living amongst human beings, trying to be as normal as possible! Living lives to fit in, to experience relationships and adventures, and not much else! Our roles as Angels and Demons are fucking pointless! We're a waste of a past purpose!"

Doflamingo shook while Corazon considered this thoughtfully. Luffy looked downcast, like he'd been scolded. Ussop's mouth was open as he reached a similar conclusion to Law, while Kolby wiped nervous sweat from his forehead. Since they weren't doing much of anything other than having an intense conversation, spectators had since moved on to continue looking at the animals.

"This is the result of you leaving home?" Doflamingo asked Law murderously. "To deem us unworthy and useless because _you_ failed to find your role in life? This is all the fault of your stupid 'wife'! With his wings clipped, he was of no positive influence on you! This ninny doesn't deserve you."

"He was responsible for allowing me to experience all these things, and he did so without any interference," Law argued, side stepping to be the wall Sanji needed if Doflamingo decided to attack. "I'm grateful for it because without him, I would've never experienced what I had!"

Sanji beamed at Law, hands clasped together.

" _But_ ," Doflamingo cut in, towering over the tattooed human, Law looking at his clothes with distaste, "you've become such a ninny yourself, lately. Look at you! Glowing from the inside out with your adventuresome self. Makes me want to burn my throat with stomach acid."

"What's wrong with me being happy? I told you I wanted to learn more about myself," Law snapped at him. "And you're only jealous because I managed to get more information through regular humans and other Demons and Angels than I ever did from you! You're useless with all your years behind you!"

"Stop calling me old!"

" _Stop_!" Corazon cried, holding a hand to his head. "I can't take this argument right now, you guys. I missed this close, fatherly interaction you two have but I don't know, this five dollar Target wine is going straight to my blood vessels."

He realized Luffy was huffing as he breathed him in, and gave the Angel a startled look. "Doffy. This one is smelling me."

"That's all that ass you managed to leave unwiped," Doflamingo grumbled, glaring down at Law.

" _Ew_ ," Zoro muttered.

"Saves on cologne," Corazon admitted with a one shouldered shrug.

Law looked so terribly embarrassed by the exchange that Sanji looked at him with sympathy.

"I just want this to be a _normal_ evening, with normal interactions. Since there is no point to either of us fighting each other on a grand scale, then all of us just need to move on and forget that the other was here!" Law decided, scanning the interested crowd gathering around them for his friends. He thought he saw Jean Bart scampering to hide behind a tree but Doflamingo lowered himself to cut off his line of vision.

"Does being this exposed leave you feeling humiliated?"

"Well, _yes_ , anyone would be if one had to confess that you're his family."

"I'm overjoyed!" Doflamingo cried cheerfully. "I love the smell of humiliation mixed with animal excrement!"

"But don't you get it? There's no point in Angels and Demons hating and fighting each other if we don't really have a reason why!"

"It's a rule of nature, Law," Luffy said slowly. "Like breathing."

" _Is_ it?" Law returned, giving him a frown. "If it was, shouldn't you have done something about it by now? You haven't."

Luffy stared at him wide-eyed before saying, "But I feel like I still _have to_ on principle only, but listening to what you have to say is just as important because you're both of us. Maybe it's just early training into marriage – "

"NOT RELEVANT!"

"You and I are going to have words behind the girls bathroom," Sanji warned Luffy, looming over him from behind.

"This is the product of your exploration? Coming to the determination that we're irrelevant, now?" Corazon interrupted, patting at his jumpsuit for the bottle he had hidden. He found it at his waist, withdrawing it sloppily. "So now you're saying we're useless, and rich only because we were blessed?"

"Basically, yes - !"

"You're a selfish boy, Law. You never once considered our thoughts and feelings as you selfishly packed your Going to Grandma's bags and slipped out in the middle of the night to your underage girlfriend's house!"

"I'm actually twenty-one," Sanji said slowly, looking up from twisting Luffy's ear as the teen screamed underneath his ministrations.

"Come home. I miss Bepo. Amazon kept delivering treats to the house, and I decided to eat them. I'm feeling really sick."

"I hope you die."

Corazon looked pleased beyond all measures as Law looked grumpy.

Luffy looked to one to the other with a puzzled frown. "So…are we not fighting?"

"I'm too drunk and angry at my son to concentrate on this," Corazon told him.

"I just got a fill, today," Doflamingo said, examining one of his protruding cheeks carefully.

"You are so _ugly_ ," Zoro said with disgust.

"Thank you!"

"What's wrong with you guys?" Luffy protested. "You're proving Law right! This is the rule of our existence, and it's suddenly useless, now?"

"Same here, but I think what all of us just witnessed today was magic, an intervention from Shanks," Corazon said with a burp. "God doesn't want us to fight. He wants us to admire the miserable animals in their small cages while he makes us _irrelevant_."

"But _I_ want to fight."

"Damn you, Shanks!" Doflamingo roared up at the sky, shaking his fist. "Intervention by a heavenly hand! Keep your damn nose out of my business!"

"There's really a God?" Luffy asked curiously, looking up at the sky. "Here, I thought we were just monsters put here as a divine party to hold balance on this human world to keep it from getting too crazy."

"Who is this guy?" Corazon asked Law curiously, gesturing at Luffy. "Is this one of your little friends?"

" _Well_ …"

A crack of sound caught their attention. Giraffes in the nearby field suddenly took flight like a majestic band of birds, sending dust flying in their wake. Sanji looked horrified once he realized Katakuri had caught sight of them, looking visibly pleased. Law was horrified because this situation had just leapt out of his hands. The others had listened to what he had to say, but he was pretty sure this one wouldn't.

"Ah. Who's this guy? He looks like an interesting chap," Doflamingo observed, hands on his hips.

"Huh. I don't know. He's pretty demony," Corazon said. "Horrible fashion sense, though."

"Right…all that leather, and no colors but that dang hair. Must be part of the younger generation. I swear, where did it all go wrong, Cora?"

"I don't know, Doffy. Bad parenting, I suppose…"

Luffy's eyes lit up. " _Demon_! Maybe he wants to fight!"

"I hope I interrupted something important," Katakuri said slowly. He stood there in a leather jacket with fur lapels, animal print scarf covering his scars. His jeans were folded over polished boots that gleamed with fashionable chains over the heels. "Is this a family gathering? Demons and Angels facing each other without killing each other? What monstrosity is this?"

"You interested in breaking it up?" Zoro asked. "Because we're getting no where here."

"Ah. It's nice to see your face before it's ruined by parking lot pavement," Katakuri said gravely. "Don't worry – you'll be prettier with injury afterward. Sanji. That wasn't a nice thing to do, last night. You left me unsatisfied."

"Cheater!" Doflamingo hissed at Sanji, who tensed.

Kolby took in the image of Katakuri then looked at Sanji with wide, horrified eyes. Sanji somehow sensed his thoughts and had him off the ground by the collar of his shirt, snarling, " _It's not what you're thinking_!"

"What a _beautiful_ marriage!" Corazon said with a pleased sigh while Law looked disturbed, hastily removing his ears and tail. "Discontent and the discovery of a lover already!"

"Sanji!" Luffy protested, looking to the Demon with wide, hurt eyes. "I thought you loved Law!"

"Oh, man, you're a pure scoundrel," Ussop scolded Sanji as he scowled.

"Don't worry, buddy," Luffy then said to Law with a pat of his chest. "Since you also proposed to me, I can be a great stand in."

" _NO_!" Law snarled, kicking him away.

Doflamingo struggled to frown, having to reach up with his fingertips to do so. "Damn. Your approval rating just went up. I'm pleased."

Law turned to face the approaching Demon, then reached out and snagged Luffy by his costume. "Take advantage," he told the teen, who was practically vibrating with glee. "We're leaving."

"You're not going to have a part of this?" Zoro questioned him curiously, withdrawing his swords from inside of his costume. "You're not a real Angel if you don't."

"It's understood that I'm not. Sanji and I are leaving – he makes him uncomfortable."

Luffy shrugged. "Okay, then."

He tore off his costume, everyone looking at him in dismay. "I challenge you, Demon!"

Katakuri gave Luffy a disgusted look. "When was the last time your parents bought you new underwear?"

Luffy looked down at himself to realize he was standing in his boxers, and hastily covered himself. With a red face, he sidestepped away from the group, causing spectators to cover their children's eyes. With a roll of his eyes, Sanji pulled off his costume and gave it to him. Dressing hastily, Luffy was once again in front to stand off with the Demon.

Katakuri wasn't sure how to take this Angel seriously, standing so proudly in a fox schoolgirl's uniform. He looked to Sanji.

"I can't take this seriously," he said.

"Don't give me that, considering what we used to do!" Sanji snapped at him, feeling his face and neck fill with color.

Doflamingo leered at them both. "Oh? Sounds interesting! Give us the details."

"Look," Katakuri said with a sigh, "all I'm saying is that even if someone stops doing something, it doesn't mean that they can't escape what they did. Their past created them to be something that's expected of them in the future. No matter what they do to forget that it happened, it's still in them to repeat their actions."

 _You fucking_ asshole, Law thought darkly of him.

"So no matter what Sanji does different in his future, he still has the past clinging to him, waiting for him to repeat it. If he's going to, then he might as well as return to the past where he belongs – "

"I'm understanding this to be a more developed conundrum for all of us," Doflamingo muttered thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "It means something against what we just broke through, I'm just…failing to grasp it completely…"

"I'm aware that I'll repeat things," Sanji snapped at the Demon. "But it won't be with the past! It'll be with the future! The future that I choose!"

"Sanji," Katakuri said patiently, "what's the difference?"

"The difference being that it won't be with you! For fuck's sake…"

"This is what's going to happen," Katakuri said, hands out for emphasis, " _you're_ going to go home with this nimrod tonight, you're both going to fool around, he's going to realize in the middle of it that it wasn't what he'd been expecting, let you use him and then decide that it's not for him. Therefore leaving you despite your silly feelings and crappy attitude, and eventually finding a woman that's more suited to his earlier tastes in this Tuesday's medical lab activities. She'll be the one in purple, by the way," Katakuri added.

"They'll eventually agree to marry and _you'll_ cry about it and realize that love isn't for you, and fall back in your ways. So it makes more sense leaving him now to go with me to avoid that drama."

Sanji glanced at Law, who frowned as he wondered how such a vision was possible for someone that thought having magenta hair was a good idea. But then he noticed Sanji's silence and looked back at him. Seeing that he was actually taking Katakuri's words with serious consideration, he rolled his eyes.

"That's not up to you," Luffy declared. "Saying stuff like that is stupid. You can't see the future! You can't decide on fate that way!"

"It's part of my Demon abilities. In fact, once we start fighting, _you're_ going to throw a left hook while throwing yourself forward. This one here," Katakuri gestured at Zoro, "will go for some type of wind attack that will send this one," he pointed at Kolby, "flying into the giraffe pen, and _these_ two will watch from the sidelines while commenting about how true I was in the first place. Then tease their son about finally getting something from another human being at his age – something about video games – and he will want to prove me wrong so he and Sanji will leave here while we destroy the zoo. So, we can either get into it now, or…

He looked to Sanji. "You can avoid that mess by coming back with me and choose to forget this guy who can't even decide on which tangent he wants to explore next."

"This is nonsense," Law muttered, crossing his arms. "Sanji. I think you should rely on your friends for this one."

Sanji swallowed tightly. After a few moments, he asked Law, "So what made you stop attacking last night? When he performed the same parlor's trick?"

Law did a double take. "I managed to stop myself because I was in the process of killing you both! Of course I didn't want to!"

"But his words rang true with you. Which is why you held back – either way, you didn't want me in the middle of that," Sanji said slowly. "So to some degree you believed him. And you believe him now."

"I _don't_!"

"This is getting _so_ good," Doflamingo whispered to Corazon, who started to look concerned.

"I believe him because it's true," Sanji stated. "I've enough experience to know that his visions turn out correct."

"It's _not_ \- !"

"Honestly, Law," Sanji said low enough for only him to hear, watching Law intently, "when we go home tonight, could you actively participate with me when I finally succeed at getting at you?"

"I…I was trying to convince myself to," Law admitted awkwardly.

Sanji nodded with a stiff smile. "I mean, we were finally starting to overcome boundaries and get to know each other on a different level, but could you admit a little physical want of me?"

"I'm…pretty sure you had a hard answer last night."

"I think," Sanji said slowly, "after all this time together, you value me for what I can bring you. But nothing more than that. I took it pretty badly when you left me the first time – I think at this time I'd take it even harder."

"That…that's not…that's not how you – you never expressed any insecurity, you were always so confident - !" Law realized how badly words were failing him right now. Having a very interested audience made it more difficult to focus. "Wait…wait, what are you doing?"

Sanji turned away from him. "I'm divorcing you. I'll make it easy for both of us by leaving you, now."

" _What_?"

Corazon's eyes were red and watery – stickier than usual. "Aw…Doffy…he loved our baby."

"I know, it makes me sick," Doflamingo muttered with a stiff expression. "But then it makes me happy that this could possibly steer Law back to our side."

"Oh, _right_!"

"C'mon, let's stop at the grocery store," Sanji told Katakuri crankily, walking ahead of him without looking back.

"Wise choice," Katakuri said with a smirk.

"What just happened?" Luffy asked with confusion.

"I don't know. I think they broke up," Zoro answered with the same tone.

Ussop sniffled.

Kolby wasn't sure what expression to make at all.

"No matter," Luffy said, pushing up his left sleeve while Law watched with a frozen expression. "I'm tired of talking! YOU ARE NOT WALKING AWAY FROM THIS!"

"Finally," Zoro muttered, sword in mouth.

It was horrifying to see everything proceed at Katakuri predicted. Law was frozen in place as Luffy threw the left hook, throwing himself to close the distance that Katakuri made between them. The Demon avoided the punch very easily, then weathered the compressed tornado Zoro formed in order to get him to stop moving away. Kolby was ripped from the ground as Ussop found a post to grab, and screamed all the way into the giraffe pen.

" _Holy crap_ ," Corazon murmured with slight amazement. "Nearly every word!"

"How was he blessed with such truth?" Doflamingo uttered with dismay. "Maybe I should ask him about lottery numbers!"

"We'll be rich!"

Law watched Sanji continue on without looking back. There was something inside of him that died a little as the Demon did nothing to question Katakuri's predictions, confident in them to just ignore the shouts and screams erupting from behind him as people fled the scene. The Angels took shape and the Demon took on his titan form to fight them. Law was frozen in place because it hurt to breathe and it hurt to see that his decisions made for the future were going to be _right_. After all this time of coming to terms with his feelings and bludgeoning interest in returning Sanji's affections, it all felt like a lie.

 _Oh_ , he thought vaguely, _this is the part of the romcom where the protagonist and their love interest part ways because of a misunderstanding. A little effort put into my part will correct it, and we'll be okay. This will be a happy ending_.

"C'mon, man," Penguin said, startling him by appearing from seemingly out of thin air. Cages broke under force, animals screaming out with their freedom. Zoo visitors were running for the nearest exit as birds took to the air and elephants called out. While the titans had taken form, their appearance had disappeared from human vision, so the flying debris and suddenly crashing seemed merely like a unknown attack from no where. "There's no point being here. I think you got your answer."

"What's the lab on Tuesday?" Law asked faintly.

"It's for our final exam. Mandatory. Everyone will be scrambling to get it done in time."

 _Shit_ , Law thought with a dark frown. _That's 93% of our overall grade. I can't skip it_.

Then he looked at the man, seeing his friends venture out from safe places around them.

"Hey, hey," Doflamingo called for his attention, grinning with an 'okay' sign, "this is good for you! Instead of panting over fake women on the tv screen, you'll actually hook up with one!"

"How positive, Law!" Corazon said brightly. "Someone will finally see you for you!"

 _But someone already did_ , Law thought dejectedly. He couldn't see Sanji anymore.

"Shouldn't you go after him, Law?" Shachi asked, running over. "Don't let that weirdo prove everyone right!"

"I think it's better this way," Penguin said firmly. "After this, your life should return to normal. I mean, you got your answer, right? These roles as heavenly and hellish creatures are nothing more than just a past memory – none of you guys smashed into each other like it was expected, and all of you had come to an agreement. Besides, you weren't into Sanji that way – if you have to convince yourself to get into it, you're not really in it. With everything else coming true, Tuesday should be interesting."

"But you don't have to take that route, Law," Shachi argued. "You were _happy_!"

As Angelic screeches rent the air, a Demon laughing with mocking undertones, Law looked in the direction Sanji had taken. He felt a little disappointed that Sanji chose the easy way out – just like he had the other couple of times. He didn't stand and fight the prediction – much like he had at the other places, he chose to do something that was easiest for him. So in a way, Law felt like this was a sure prediction; if Sanji couldn't stand with him when things got difficult, then how were his feelings true? If he were in this only for the physical aspects, then of course it made sense that Law would second guess himself after.

So maybe it was for the best. Maybe Tuesday would show him that this was nothing but an adventurous memory, and go on to pave way for a different adventure in life. Maybe it was true he'd find someone who was stronger than Sanji, who would stick with him through all his decisions.

"No," he said slowly, finding it difficult to speak. "Maybe this is for the best. I think I have enough experience to come to a determination."

"Cool!" Penguin said cheerfully, then grabbed his shoulder to prompt him to move. "Then let's get out of here before we're crushed or stepped on!"

"Law," Shachi said quietly, but he dropped his argument with a frown.

"He made his choice," Law said bitterly. "He didn't even try to prove him wrong."

: :

Over the next week, Katakuri's prediction continued to come true. Law met the woman of his dreams as he ran into her at the lab on her way out. She was wearing a purple scarf – despite his ugliest Glamour, she looked right at him with an expression that Sanji used to wear when he looked at him. A regular human, she had an Overwatch charm dangling from her phone and spent hours as Farrah to produce a successful Twitch stream and loved Fortnite. In fact, their first date was a Fortnite marathon with the others. She was gorgeous, chain-smoked like crazy but had a wonderful attitude. She could be as sweet as could be and as dangerous as any other psycho on the street. She aspired to be a nurse and had wandered into the lab by accident.

Sanji never returned to his apartment, and Law learned that Zeff had to fire him because he'd shown up to work still hung over and clearly under some influence. Despite the presence Sanji had in the café, even the kitchen workers seemed glum as their coworker disappeared back into the shadows he'd come from. Things improved in Law's life where he felt comfortable remaining as he was and knowing that he didn't have to follow some ancient rule in engaging into battle with an opposite force. Even the Angels were let down because they found themselves at the same road – able to talk and confront an opposite without engaging into battle with them. City battles eventually dwindled away as Demons and Angels learned that they didn't have to fight each other.

Because life seemed to straighten out and take on a comfortable, familiar road, Law wasn't even that surprised when he decided to propose. He figured he may as well because Sanji was long gone and it didn't make sense to cling to the past by hoping he'd resurface. He just grew bitter at the memories, angry to feel that he'd come to rely on a hope that the Demon would show up with an apology and stupid excuse as to why he left. He stopped wearing his Glamour and merged his sides to live life as a human – there was no purpose in being either Angel or Demon now that he was prepared to settle down.

He'd start his residency soon and complete his dream of becoming a doctor – he figured he'd run into Sanji that way, sure the Demon would show up sometime to the ER in some drug related throe or some mystery ailment caused by whatever it was he was doing nowadays. Law hoped that by the time they ran into each other again, he'd see the Demon and wondered why he even bothered at all.

But time didn't erase his thoughts and feelings as he hoped it would – he still caught himself looking over his shoulder, in glass reflections at every blond man wearing black on the street. He even paid attention to abandoned cigarettes in ashtrays and sidewalk gutters, thinking he'd see Sanji's brand. He popped into various cafes and restaurants, sure he'd find the Demon working there; Baby thought he was just an adventurous eater and encouraged him by plotting out all the different eateries in the city so they could explore each one. While Law did find everything he'd previously wanted in a woman in Baby, there was just something lacking in her devotion that didn't sit well with him. She was a very giving lady but there was something forced in her actions that Law couldn't quite accept. She was a stalker and a pleaser, subservient and gorgeous, but she lacked her own mind. She didn't give him the fight or excitement that Sanji had. He missed the conversations that they'd had, the weird physical moments; he missed the presence Sanji had with him, and he lacked the physical attraction he'd had with the Demon that should be appropriate for Baby. It bothered him to compare the two, but he couldn't help it.

But every day that passed without any sight or sound of the Demon, Law started to accept that this was it. Sanji had probably found his equal somewhere in the depths of the city's hell and had long forgotten about him.

It was the day that Baby decided they needed to check out the florists when something happened. She was busy fawning over the choices for her bouquet and Law was staring at a Venus flytrap in the window when a pedestrian dropped his cigarettes right in his line of vision. Once he recognized the brand, Law automatically looked up to see Sanji picking them up and stuffing them back into his jacket, huffing as he did so. He looked the same, but obviously lacking full capacities with blank eyesight and a stumble in his step.

Despite feeling like a brick hit him, Law did stumble out from the florist's shop to call out after him as he made his way down the sidewalk.

Sanji paused at the crosswalk and staggered a little to turn and look back with a surprised expression. When he saw Law, he gave him a dirty look.

"What you want, human scumbag?" he asked thickly. "If I owe you money, may as well forget it."

"No…well, you owe me an explanation," Law said, afraid to look away in case Sanji disappeared again.

"Hah? For what?" Sanji snapped, lighting up a cigarette and frowning at him. "Sorry, it's really bright out here. Who are you?"

"What do you mean, _who am I_? You just left because that Demon said some stupid things! You just left without saying anything or – or even – trying! You didn't even try, Sanji!" Law sputtered angrily. All the words he'd worked up through this time, every scenario that he'd dreamed up just in case he saw Sanji again seemed to whirl and tumble around his tongue, making it nearly impossible to speak.

Sanji looked at him with consideration, then snorted. On a bright, summer's day, he was wearing a black silk shirt underneath a black blazer. Long legs encased in black trousers with polished black shoes. But despite that, his sunglasses were cracked and there was blood on his tie. A corner of his mouth could have been a sore, or some healing injury – it was covered by the cigarette he pushed there. The light that made him so bright and animated was dead – the weariness of his eyes and the sharp line of his jaw made him years older.

Before he could respond, Baby left the florist's shop with a confused expression. "Law? Honey? What are you doing? Are you bored?"

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? A beautiful princess has graced my bad day with her presence!" Sanji cried at the sight of her, hurrying over to take her hand as she looked at him with confusion. "How gorgeous you are, so brilliant and so obviously in love! Are you planning a wedding?"

"I am!" Baby exclaimed, showing off her ring joyfully. "Are you a friend of Law's?"

"I was – congratulations, both of you! You make such a beautiful couple!" Sanji said cheerfully, examining her hand and looking back at Law with such a forced smile. Law wasn't even sure what type of face he was wearing, but it caused Baby to look at him with concern.

"Then will you be there? It'll be in a month! Surely Law sent out the invitations like I'd asked him to, so you should be receiving one!"

"I can't wait," Sanji assured her. "I'm quite positive that he had, and I should definitely check my mail to RSVP. I'm so happy for both of you, both of you look so in love!"

"We are!" Baby exclaimed, leaving him to hang onto her fiancé's arm with such a dazzling smile that Sanji visibly winced and attempted to cover his eyes with one hand. "I was so lucky to find myself in the wrong place at the wrong time, we would have never met!"

"I'm _happy_ for you both! You deserve it. You lucked out," Sanji then said to Law, tapping his shoulder with the back of his hand. "You found everything you wanted in such a beautiful woman – don't fuck it up. I have to go, but good luck, you two!"

"Can't wait! Oh, wasn't he nice," Baby then commented breathlessly as she watched Sanji leave, holding a hand to his head. "You never introduced me to him, Law. Which friend was that? One of your team mates?"

It took Law several moments to answer, but it was tough to say anything at all. He felt similar to as he did watching Sanji leave him at the zoo – it was fresh and painful, ripping him apart from the inside. Near similar to what it must feel like to having a limb ripped away. Parts of his halves seemed to scream with mixed emotions – his Angel side in distress, his Demon side angry for no real resolution. Both of them equally as unhappy, all of them more emotions he'd felt in such a long time. It wasn't supposed to feel like this, or end this way – he should've been satisfied that Sanji was suffering because it was only fair after what Sanji put him through. His Demon side was in admiration because that was a route Law could only dream of having to settle his misery; his Angel side in distress because he wanted nothing more to Save him.

"Just an acquaintance," he mumbled in response.


	16. Chapter 16

**Csahn:** Shhhh…don't worry… ;D

 **HS:** Oh, I couldn't write that ship. EVER. NEVER EVER EVER EVER. It's blocked on my Tumblr account for my sanity and I _**rage hit**_ the 'X' on my Pinterest account when it comes up as a suggestion :D (no sarcasm used in this note) This chapter is the next classic trope – running after your love at the last second!

 **Hallconen:** Katakuri is a party pooper for sure, but his fetish is so interesting XD I think he's the true villain of this fic, or it might be these two dorks who keep fighting each other. Your example is definitely like this story's sort of pain and more – and it'll spill into this chapter. Both of them are selfish and unyielding; both of them are completely missing each other's cues but there's always time to learn ;D

 **Naghi-Tan:** It was coming D: It has to follow the formula! Both of them suffered at this time, and it's really their own damn faults. They're so childish. And you ruined me with the NANA comparison! Ugh, that was true pain and soul shattering pain! I'm still angry at Nana for doing that! DX

 **Fyoyaran:** Oh, no, I hope not! DX I swear this fic has a happier ending!

 _ **Chapter Sixteen**_

* * *

Sanji heard the knocking in his chaotic dreams, but once he jerked himself up from his cold puddle of drool, he realized that someone was actually pounding at his door. With a drunken mutter he wiped his face and sat up, disrupting empty beer cans and bottles that had helped him fall asleep last night. Pill bottles rattled noisily as they hit the floor, causing him to curse and scoop up what he could to close them up and toss them somewhere near the door. His head spun and his stomach lurched as he crawled out of the mess he'd made. His packed bags and train ticket sat against the door in a pile – he vaguely remembered he'd called for a ride the night before.

His life was such a mess.

He opened the door to see Zoro standing there, looking at him impatiently. "I was standing here for ten minutes, moron."

"Sorry, I was in the shower," Sanji said, tripping over one of the bags as he lurched away from the door to allow him in. Zoro's face scrunched with distaste as the trashed motel room showed him the state of Sanji's mind. Empty fast food containers lay on the floor, litter splayed around the full trash cans. The curtain rod was dangling against the floor and it stunk of cigarettes, but he didn't see any laying around.

"Jesus, what a miserable existence," he mumbled.

"One of my get togethers got a little out of hand," Sanji huffed, grabbing his jacket. He stumbled to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, glaring at his reflection. He wondered if he had time to change and realized he didn't – he'd have to wear the boat neck collar shirt and faded jeans onto the train and change later. He stuffed his feet into sandals and buckled them shakily.

He heard a crash of cans coming down onto the floor. "Yeah, right."

"Why are you dressed like that?" Sanji then asked, leaning out the doorway to look at him. Zoro was wearing what looked like a polo shirt and jeans with some nice shoes. His hair was slicked back and he looked rather confident of himself.

"It's Law's wedding, today. Remember? I told you this, like, three months ago," Zoro said, picking up the packed bags. "To that chick he calls 'Baby'. I don't know her real name."

Sanji spat-hurled into the sink. All his drinks seemed to make a reappearance at that moment, and Zoro cringed as he heard it. Once he was able to catch his breath, Sanji wiped his hair from his face. All the pain and heartache he'd struggled so hard to forget came rushing back to him, and he braced himself against the sink to hurl up what was left of his guts.

"Oh yeah," he panted as he caught his breath. He clenched onto the sink's edge with weak fingers. His stomach felt like he'd been gutted from the inside out. _When will these feelings ever go away_? It was madness that he was taking this so badly – over a stupid, indecisive man who wasn't even attracted to him in the first place.

 _No_ , he thought with gritted teeth _. I'm celebrating. I'm celebrating my loneliness and freedom – wait, not_ loneliness _, my freedom! I'm free of that stupid, emotional shit!_

"I forgot. Hey, what are you doing here? You should be there, not – doing this."

"I've still got a couple of hours before it starts, so it'll be fine," Zoro said, looking at his watch. He then returned a text to Nami, assuring her this would be done in less than ten minutes. He'd make it back with plenty of time to spare. "All we're doing is sitting around and talking weird things to weird people that look intimidated over us."

Sanji finished brushing his teeth and tossed the toothbrush into the trash. He smoothed out his shirt, frowning at his appearance. He looked like something a cat had thrown up and dragged through dirt – his hair hung around his face in a greasy disarray, he'd broken out like a teenager climbing his way through puberty again, and he could pack extra in the eye bags he wore. His clothes fit sloppily and hours spent indoors left him a broken shell of a man that looked like he should stay there.

He'd been such a mess since that night at the zoo. All his bad habits had come back with a vengeance to remind him that he couldn't evade them forever. Demons were meant for wretched lives so it made sense that this was difficult – but seeing Law with his fiancée had been a sure reminder to him in that he was never going to get over this if he continued living in this terrible city. The shoulder devil had a gorgeous woman at his side and there could be nothing better than that – just like Katakuri said.

It felt like a hot knife moving through his lungs and heart all over again. Of course it made sense that Law was happy and settled with someone like her; it had been his original goal, anyway. She was a human woman that could give him what he deserved, what human society felt was normal. Sanji could only give him _at least_ twenty to forty minutes of a good time and maybe some bad memories, but that was about it. The sacrifice was worth it. It made him feel better knowing Law was happy, but it didn't help any of his self-pity. So removing himself from the source of the pain made sense.

"Where are you going?" Zoro asked curiously, picking up his ticket to examine the destination for himself. A pill bottle caught his attention so he picked that up to see that it was a prescription for some beta blockers. Another bottle had what looked like little bear vitamins in it. He shrugged – at least Sanji had something healthy going for him.

"I thought I'd go to hell. Weather out hurricane season on the beach with some Pina coladas."

"Oh? Florida?"

"You can't find a more wretched place of villainy and misdeeds."

"Well, take it easy down there. Give yourself a few weeks before making yourself a headline." Zoro looked at Sanji as he stumbled towards him, bumping against the nearby table with an unsteady stagger. But he found a bottle with some liquid inside, swirling it before extending it to him.

"Let's have a shot for the road," Sanji offered. "To a weird friendship."

"Is it? I thought it was a mutual understanding that both of us can have an opportunity to drink without judgement."

"Same thing!"

After they finished it, he exhaled heavily, wiping his mouth. There was nothing better to treating the hair of the dog but with more hair. _Sorry, mother_ … _but your son will have to continue living as a disappointment_. "I'm me, again."

"And this is you."

"Figure I start my reputation off right when I get there."

"That's too bad," Zoro said with a frown. "There could've been another way to deal with this. I still don't get why you're freaking out over this guy – he wasn't even into you."

"I knnnoooowwww…"

"But it's weird that you're giving up so easily."

Sanji rubbed his eyes, wiped his face. Hastily picked up all the bottles lying around his bag and stuffed them into his carry-on. "It's because this is what he wanted. He was looking for a nice lady, and I just…wanted to monopolize his time for my own selfish, disgusting reasons. He found what he wanted, there's no point in me wasting any more time on him."

"And yet here I am, standing in a pile of filth caused by your mental breakdown."

Sanji found himself on the floor, shaking and humming with an incoming sob. Zoro used a shoe to prod at him cautiously. "I don't know why it hurts so much! He's _stupid_ with a _stupid_ face and _stupid_ reasons and thoughts and he's _stupid_ for being _stupid_ and I hate his guts, his face, his _stupid_ dog, I hate how he smells, I hate the way he used to talk to me, I hate _everything_ about him, I hope he dies on his damn wedding day by some unfortunate accident in front of everyone!"

"God, this is embarrassing!" Zoro groaned. "Get a hold of yourself! I'm not dropping you off at the train station like this, because it only looks bad on me!"

"I," Sanji said shakily, getting up, "think I'm having this breakdown because of the shift in our attitudes. I did when I had my wings cut off because I was questioning everything about myself in the first place – now it's even worse."

"Just grow your wings back. It was a bad cut. We're defined by our wings."

Sanji wiped his face once more then considered this. "Maybe I will in Florida. Doing it here is pointless."

"I mean, we're all going through this," Zoro reminded him impatiently. "Whatever happened, _however_ Law did it, all of us are going through this identity thing. That's why I'm saying, there's better ways of handling this. But yours is different because _obviously_ you cared more than what you're saying."

"Stalker withdrawal syndrome. I know it's a thing. I got addicted to him and I'm going through withdrawals. If I can treat it somehow, it'll be easier."

"I honestly don't understand why you would," Zoro muttered. "That guy is so plain and dull that it's a wonder he still has any friends at all."

He held his hands up in surrender as Sanji gripped his polo shirt within both hands, snarling, "Don't you bad mouth him! Only I get to do so! He's a wonderful jerk with jerky motives and a pure, admirable selfish attitude to getting what he wants no matter the cost and that's something to _respect_ , not speak badly of!"

"Well, you see him a lot differently than how we do," Zoro said, jerking away from him. "Because when he hangs out with us he barely says anything."

"I assure you, he has some nasty schemes going through his mind at all times, so for him to keep them to himself is beneficial to you!"

Zoro sighed with a roll of his eyes. "What _ever_. Can we go, now?"

"I'm ready," Sanji said, picking up his wallet from the trash filled counter. Then he pulled on his Glamour; he was now barrel chested with strong limbs and a strong, butt-shaped chin. Straggly hairs colored his jawline, hair flowing in uncontrollable waves past his shoulders. Zoro's face scrunched with distaste, causing Sanji to snicker. "I look like my dad at this age."

"Did your mom jump the fence? Because you look nothing like him."

"Thanks, asshole. This isn't going to take you out of your way, is it?"

"Nah, I remember the directions Nami gave me before I left. I wouldn't do it if I couldn't," Zoro said impatiently. "You don't want to tidy up before…?"

"No. Maids are paid for a reason. Let's go." Sanji then stopped short, digging into his wallet. He pulled out a twenty, which he flapped in Zoro's face until the Angel caught sight of this. "Give this to Law. Tell him if he's ever interested in dick again, he can go see my girl Smoothie at the cabaret on fourth street."

"That stripper joint?"

"Yeah. She'll give him a good squeeze if princess decides she's tired of putting out. That's my wedding gift to him."

"Wow, don't step out of line, or anything," Zoro mumbled, holding the twenty with index and thumb, hoping it hadn't been retrieved from some sweaty g-string.

"Oh don't worry, I snorted coke with it so it's clean. No glitter."

" _Wow_ , thanks, buddy…"

: :

At the church, Law sat in the men's dressing room with a pensive expression. He had been ready for the walk down the aisle on time and had nothing more to do. His suit was dark purple with a lavender shirt and a dark maroon vest with lavender stripes. His hair was slicked back and everything was cut prim and tight so that none of it fell out of place. He wore gloves to hide his tattoos and his hands were already sweaty. The boutonniere's scent at his lapel was so strong that it was starting to make him sick.

Everyone was getting dressed around him while Corazon was glaring out the window with a bottle of Coke held to his chest, pouting over the lack of alcohol in the venue. Bepo was at Law's feet, already dressed in the matching ring bearer's outfit Baby had spent hours sewing. But the dog wasn't in a festive mood to enjoy his role – he kept looking to his master and sighing.

Everyone was in such a good mood – his friends were helping each other with ties and cummerbunds while Doflamingo growled in the mirror as his outfit refused to work with him. It was a gorgeous day for a wedding and yet…

He felt sick to his stomach. Anxiety ran through him like electrical wires, his thoughts scattered with frustrating strength. _This was something he wanted_ , he kept telling himself. This was something he'd dreamed of having. It was a small get together with their friends and family and all the decorations that were in place were quite lovely. A mixture of purples and maroon, calla lilies and dyed roses with baby's breath, dark purple ribbons and balloons lining the aisle. Everyone was glowing and happy, just as in love with the bride as she was with him.

And yet all he could think of was Sanji. He kept convincing himself to remember why this was a bad direction to take; Sanji _left_ him. If Sanji wanted him as much as his diarrhea of the mouth said he did, then he would've made more of an effort to interfere. But he walked away without looking back and even that day on the street, Sanji hadn't even bothered to _talk_ to him. So Law told himself that Sanji had only wanted his attention for one thing and – _why did it still bother him to this day_?

His Angel side kept whispering to him that if Sanji had just wanted him for one thing, then why his efforts in encouraging Law to explore himself without complaint? His Demon side kept encouraging him to go find the fucker and ask him to explain himself. Both sides weren't very helpful.

But even on this day, the day of his wedding, he was still thinking about that damn Demon.

Katakuri had said that Sanji's own feelings would drive him back to his old habits because Law would reject him, and that day on the street had been apparent that Sanji had. So this filled Law with both doubt and hope because if Sanji didn't care – _if Sanji didn't care for him at all_ , then he would've faced him stone cold sober and with his usual antics. But he didn't – _he didn't_ , and that's what destroyed Law deep inside; because he was obviously under the influence to manage whatever pain he was feeling and it was so damn _obvious_ \- !

Bepo looked at him with a lift of his head, and Law exhaled quietly to manage the uprising feelings that showed on his face. He had to forget about that Demon – he was in a good place, now. He'd somehow settled Demons and Angels to co-exist peacefully, found a beautiful woman to give him a chance and was doing great as a human – so why was this one thing so fucking _difficult_ to let go of? Was he that hurt by Sanji's only rejection? But it wasn't even something he was looking for in the first place, he was just interested because of the tangents taking place and he was feeling confident and - !

Old hurt and anger built up inside of him again. He told himself Sanji had just used him as he used Sanji, so neither of them were healthy for each other anyway. It didn't matter that the Demon enjoyed the exchange – it just wasn't _right_. He'd learned that two people working together gave nicely and fairly without the weight of distraction and Baby taught him a lot!

Well…enough, he supposed. The woman really hadn't any mind of her own. She gave and dumped upon Law everything he ever wanted or hadn't even imagined he'd wanted. She liked the things he did, liked the same foods, the same maps, the same –

That was just it. While it drove him crazy that she plainly preferred what he liked, every conversation they had was practically one sided. She didn't bite back or argue or say 'no' to him – he'd found himself thinking of how Sanji would, but it had really bugged him how Sanji just let him do these things knowing that it would turn out badly for him –

He was angry at the Demon all over again. It reflected on his face. _Stupid Sanji_. That stupid Demon with his stupid attitude and his stupid simpering and stupid clinging and argumentative nature and his stupid stubbornness and loyalty and – he hoped Sanji died of his stupid actions and Law hoped he could be the one to declare it. It would be fitting for both of them. At least it'd give him a chance to see him again. Even if it were the last time.

Maybe on Sanji's death bed Law would get his answers. He'd do what it took to keep the Demon alive just to torture him for answers and revile in Sanji's struggle to deny him and they'd fight and blood would get everywhere and –

He struggled to put his Demon side back into line.

All at once his friends cried out with horror as the door opened, but if it wasn't Sanji's voice that boomed out, Law didn't care to look.

"That dumb ass Zoro is going to get lost!" Nami snarled, striding in.

" _Nami_! There are naked men present!" Luffy cried.

"None of you have what I haven't already seen, before," she snapped. "Luffy, you have to go get him. He's downtown at the train station, and it's a damn one way street. You know how he gets with one way streets!"

"I can't do that!" Luffy exclaimed with consternation as Law looked over at Nami with a frown. "Why would I – I'm also bad with directions, I can't just leave here to go rescue that guy and come back in time! I'd get distracted! I'd miss the wedding!"

"It's not like either of you guys are in the actual wedding party," Corazon stated with a confused expression. "You guys are just borrowing the room to get dressed."

"Oh, whew! That's right!" Luffy said with relief as Nami gave the Demon a frown. "Hopefully Zoro makes it back in time."

"What's Zoro doing at the train station anyway?" Shachi asked curiously. "Doesn't he know people normally get married at churches?"

Nami sighed heavily, dressed in a slinky blue dress that was much too distracting for most of the men in the room to look away from. Hands on her hips, she said, "He told me last night that he was taking Sanji to the train station. I guess he found a job in Florida, so – "

" _What_? He was friends with Sanji all this time?" Shachi asked incredulously as everyone else looked confused. Shachi looked over at Law with some apprehension while Luffy looked outraged. At hearing Sanji's name, Law felt himself freeze, struggling not to show any interest in the conversation. But it was difficult to hear over the sudden pounding of his heart, the way his skin seemed to break out in a light sweat as the words settled in.

"He didn't say anything about being friends with Sanji!" Luffy cried. "He just up and disappeared!"

"I guess they turned into drinking buddies or something, I don't know," Nami said with a bored expression. "He said he'd be back in time, but I really doubt it. I think you should go find him just in case – I know he's going to screw it up coming back."

Law's mind raced – adrenaline built hotly in his veins. If Sanji disappeared to Florida, then there was no telling if he'd ever come back. There was a sure chance he'd wind up in prison or wound up in the glades with the alligators. He would miss out on killing him himself. He felt jealous of the reptiles that would succeed where he hadn't. He stood up quickly, wearing a grim expression.

"Can't be helped. He does get lost easily."

"My car is started and outside the back door," Nami gestured with a shooing gesture, everyone reacting with startled action as Law hastily went for it.

" _You're the groom_!"

"Come back, what are you doing?"

"Someone else can do it!"

" _Law_!"

"You knew exactly what you were doing!" Penguin hissed at her, Nami sipping at her water bottle. She shrugged. From the smell of her breath, she wasn't drinking water. Penguin wondered what was wrong with these people – seemed like all these Angels had some type of addiction or two that should have belonged to the Demons.

"It shouldn't be a problem," she said, pinching one of his cheeks. "I'm sure he'll be back with Zoro in no time! Besides, he seemed really jittery so maybe a little adrenaline going might help him walk that aisle a little better."

"This isn't about Zoro! It's about that damn Demon!"

"What's it matter?" Shachi asked, approaching cautiously with Bepo in one arm. "It's not going to change anything. You have to trust Law in making the right decision, and I'm sure he's fine. This isn't some weird plot to have those two talk for one final time. I'm sure it's not because Law's said nothing about Sanji in months."

Penguin sighed with agitation, looking at his watch. "Okay. It takes twenty minutes to get there. Ten to pick up Zoro and twenty to drive him back. He should have more than enough to time to get here before they start the music. That's unless Sanji doesn't try any stupid shit and tries to keep him from the wedding…"

"Why would he?" Nami retorted. "He would see immediately that Law's all nice and happy because he's getting married to a fine woman and back off! There's no reason to try any weird-ass ex shit when he's on his way out! You need to have more faith in both of them."

"He's a _Demon_! All the shit Law went through stopped when he left! He turned normal, his life straightened out and he's finally happy! All that stuff in the beginning was Sanji's fault for leading him on some weird path - "

"Such a pessimist," Doflamingo muttered, tightening his belt. "Who the hell are you to dictate how people can live? If Law was enjoying the adventure, what's it to you?"

"Yeah, sure, _somehow_ he straightened out and stopped the conflict between Angels and Demons after all these years by revealing what he was and talking some sense into you. But after that he came back to continue on his road to becoming a doctor, he found a nice lady who _isn't_ a creep, and now he's got a bright future ahead of him. I'm not saying it was some coincidence, but it was a _strange_ coincidence when he nearly blew it trying to figure himself out."

Nami eyed him suspiciously while Luffy tried to take a sip of her water. "For a friend of his, you're strangely judgmental of others. Yeah, Law has a good life going for him right now, but he doesn't seem too happy with it. Seems like he's only tolerating it because people are telling him this is how it's supposed to be."

"Well, it is," Penguin said tentatively, looking to his friends for help. But they were looking in different directions, seemingly uninterested in the conversation.

"Maybe this is a good thing," Nami commented with a shrug.

The doors burst open again, Baby kicking them open. She flipped her lavender veil over her head, her black hair curled and decorated with baby's breath. All of them were astounded by her beauty, reacting with awe.

"Did I just hear shouting? Where's Law?"

"He…went to the bathroom," Luffy said with a light stutter as everyone suddenly lost their voice. "He didn't want to destroy this one, so he went to find one."

"I have some anti-diarrhea medication! He can have some! Where did he go? I should run it to him!"

"Ah, dear, honey, _sweetie_ , look at you," Nami interrupted, slapping Luffy before venturing to Baby with a calm gesture. "You can't be running around like this. You're beautiful! You don't want to get your dress all dirty running around to these nasty places. I'm sure he'll be fine, you know how men are. They got to do this because their guts are guilty of some hidden feelings that can only be released this way."

"What? What do you mean, 'guilt'?" Baby asked, looking horrified. Tears began to build in her heavily lashed eyes while her gloved hands touched her delicately made face. "What is he guilty about? Did he not pay the deposit? _I_ have the deposit money! I have all the money he'd need to pay for these things, or does he feel guilty about me doing that?"

"No, no _no_ no – "

"He's not running away, right? He's not going to humiliate me and leave me when all our family and friends are gathered here today to celebrate our union!" Baby cried while Corazon hastily drank the rest of his Coke and Doflamingo hummed as he examined his outfit in the only mirror.

"Hey, random question – does my ass look fat in these pants?" he asked, ignoring Baby's growing sobs.

"Horribly saggy," Corazon assured him.

" _Excellent_ …"

"He'll be right back!" Nami assured Baby hastily. "He's not leaving you – he just needed to get away for a few minutes to compose himself. I'm sure he's very happy but he doesn't want to show his nimrod friends _how_ happy because they get insanely jealous of how lucky he is! All of them are harboring secret resentments towards him because he was able to land you."

"Oh…" Baby stopped crying to look around herself with alarm while everyone looked uncomfortable. Luffy scrunched his face up with denial, Ussop and Kolby quickly covering his mouth before he could say anything. "Oh…is that true? You guys are jealous?"

At the heavy murmuring going around the room while everyone stuttered their abashed denials, Nami smirked. She gestured at Penguin, who froze as he realized she was putting him on the spot. "Especially this one. He's very jealous and had some dissatisfactions to express beforehand."

"Penguin?" Baby questioned, venturing to the suddenly nervous man that the others abandoned hastily. "Is there something on your mind you'd like to tell me?"

"Uh, uh, um, no, not – not exactly!"

"Are you resentful of Law and I getting married?" Baby asked, looking at him with wide, reddened eyes.

"No – not really - !"

"Then what is your damn problem?" Baby exploded, having him cower. "Are you holding back on something that's important? What shitty ass thing do you have to say to me that you're afraid to say to him? Tell me now! Let's get it out in the open and fix it before he comes back! Or are you not man enough to say anything to my face?"

" _I have nothing to say_!"

"This wedding _will_ happen!" Baby barked at all of them. She pointed at every one of them with a mad expression, breasts heaving mightily against the bodice of her dress. It was difficult looking anywhere else because of it. "None of you have anything to say about it! _Nothing_ will keep me from marrying my love after what I paid for! I'm not wearing this damn dress again or dealing with this shitty church for another reason other than a damn funeral! If you suspect that he's leaving me for some other reason than he's hiding a terminal illness and doesn't want me to suffer, then let it out now!"

"Law went to get Zoro," Luffy explained, pulling away from the pair that were trying to keep him under control. "Because Zoro gets lost a lot, especially when it comes to one way streets."

Baby lit up, losing that earlier expression she was wearing to scare the others. Her hands fluttered around her dark hair to make sure her curls were still in place while everyone gave her cautious stares. " _Oh_! Well then, it can't be helped! Zoro probably got lost on his way here – "

"Zoro went to drop Sanji off at the train station, so…that's the problem."

Baby blinked. "Sanji?"

"This Demon that was like, madly in love with Law. Stop trying to make me talk, guys, this isn't a big deal!" Luffy then snapped at the pair that looked like they'd seen a ghost.

Nami sipped at her water bottle while Baby looked confused. Then her face darkened with understanding. " _The acquaintance_."

"Oh? You met him?" Nami asked curiously.

"At the florist's shop." Baby's eyes narrowed, and suddenly she was withdrawing a shotgun from the folds of her dress while everyone reacted with horror, shouting aloud as she snapped a shell into place. "I thought he was acting weird when he spoke with _that_ guy. This wedding _will_ happen. NO ONE SHALL STAND IN MY WAY OF TRUE LOVE!"

"Well, wait, is it true if you have to use _that_ to force it?" Corazon asked curiously, Baby piercing him with a stare.

Without saying anything else, she growled and strode out from the room, shotgun held high. "GIMME A CAR! Someone give me a fucking car! If anyone gets in my way, I _will_ kill them!"

"Well, I'm _so_ glad I RSVP'd for this," Nami said cheerfully, grabbing Kolby's shoulder. "Let's go!"

"Nami, you're such a troublemaker!" Luffy complained as he ran after them. "We can't take you anywhere!"

When the room emptied, Doflamingo turned away from the window and realized he was the only one standing there. Confused, he turned in a circle.

: :

Standing in front of the train station, Sanji hastily checked his bags as Zoro looked at his phone. Sanji tossed him some crumpled ones from his jacket pocket, Zoro's attention averted to look at the flutter of green. "Gas money. You better get back, now."

"Well, okay, but…I really think you should consider getting clean," Zoro said, putting his phone away and gathering the cash. He was mystified by the glitter that came off in his hands. "I mean, it's not worth it if you have to destroy yourself just to move on."

"I'm a Demon, Angel scum. This is how we deal with things. Best ourselves than an entire city, eh?" Sanji asked, lighting up a cigarette. "It's not a big deal, this sort of thing is reviled by other Demons. The messier, the better."

"Doesn't make sense, but whatever."

"This is a one way street, so go down a block and turn right. That should lead you back to the freeway," Sanji then said, gesturing down the road.

Zoro furrowed his brow with concern. "Damn. Those mess me up real bad. So, a block? Like, turn at that Subway there?"

Sanji redirected his arm to point in the opposite direction. "No, moron, by the hotel!"

"Oh. Okay. Well, safe travels."

"I'm going to change my number, so don't bother trying to text me, or anything."

"Like I'd want to," Zoro scoffed, turning and heading for the car.

Sanji hiked up his backpack and snatched his rollaway luggage. He couldn't help but look up at the busy city streets around them, feeling incredibly depressed. He then finished his cigarette and tossed it aside, heading for the main doors. Before he could reach them, he heard his name barked out from the sidewalk, and he froze in mid-motion, sure he'd only been hearing things. Was he that hungover that he was just imagining Law's voice?

But he turned away from the door to see Law stalking to him, his car parked halfway on the sidewalk and causing a ruckus with those that were trying to unload their vehicles. Sanji felt slapped, breath taken away as the groom-to-be strode towards him with an angry expression, removing his gloves from his hands. All his bones seemed to melt, his blood turning to lava – he had a hideously strong urge to drop all his things, meet Law halfway and lick his skin clean of city grime. But he held himself back.

He swallowed tightly, burying his impulses to abandon his things and glomp the hell out of the shoulder devil and do all sorts of dirty things to ruin his marriage-wear. He wanted so badly to mess up Law's stiff hair, choke him with his ugly tie and shred those clothes away with his teeth just to return him to his lovely bride all disheveled and covered in - !

But he held himself back because the woman was utterly beautiful and deserving and she didn't deserve Sanji's bad ways to ruin something she earned. Besides, it wasn't like Law wanted him, or anything. Probably just to get some answers that only Sanji could answer; something stupid, like why he had a box of Law's used napkins and utensils underneath his bed…

"What do you want?" he asked with all the disinterest he could muster.

"Take off that stupid Glamour," Law demanded once he reached him, people looking at them with interest.

"You're looking at a younger version of my father," Sanji sniffed haughtily. "And I'd rather not. If you're here for Zoro, he went that way – "

"I don't care about him. You owe me an explanation."

"For what?"

"For _leaving_!"

"I don't owe anyone but my loan sharks a thing."

"You left without trying. You gave up because some guy said you had to. _Why_?"

" _Why_? Because it's obvious, dumb nuts! Because it turned out to be true, and why are you even mad at me for that?" Sanji asked incredulously.

"It didn't have to be!"

"But it was. I did us both a favor – well, mainly me, because I was…the way I was – "

"And what happened with him? Did you decide that he was a better fit for you?" Law asked, aware that he sounded utterly jealous.

"People need to stop making the assumption that I slept with him! Fucker's twenty feet tall! His dick is probably the size of my femur! I'd _die_! But there was an unfortunate turkey incident that left him hospitalized…" Sanji tapped his fingers together nervously. "There may or may not have been live animals present when this happened…don't question me for any details, I'm scarred for life before of it. I'll never look at chicken or turkey again. Or Thanksgiving…"

Law just wasn't certain how to process that, or even imagine what that meant. He then shook that off.

"Take off this stupid Glamour!" he snapped at Sanji, reaching for his head and finding the soft, squishy feel of the Glamour's power around Sanji's neck. Sanji pushed away from him, straightening the Glamour with a huff.

"Enough of your grabby hands, you're going to give me the wrong idea," Sanji huffed, almost swooning – whatever it was Law was wearing smelled heavenly. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself in it, take a bath in it, drown his lungs in it – anything that could allow him to take it with him. "I don't want to, by the way."

"Why? What are you hiding?"

"My face, duh. Listen, you're not being fair to that lovely woman of yours – "

"I don't care. I want to know your answer. I want to know why you left."

Sanji gave him a frown. "Because I had to. Katakuri was right – I was the only one with feelings – "

"You were not!" Law insisted angrily. "You weren't the only one with feelings that day – I told you exactly what I was feeling - !"

"But that was only in the moment. Yeah, it's true…that I wanted more of you than you teased me with, but it's only inevitable that it would fail," Sanji said slowly. "Because it wasn't me you were looking at. You came into this looking for something exactly like her, and you found it."

"I was looking right at you! I saw you every time we talked, and I seen you every fucking minute after," Law retorted with frustration. "I heard everything you said and everything you did was something that I never forgot – so I don't understand why you just chose to leave. I just want to know why you lied to me. This entire, all this shit you said about being loyal and devoted – was that all just shit from your ass? Or was it real?"

Sanji was weak because he hadn't expected this from the other man at all. And he was too scared to let it in because he was such a mess – he didn't want it giving him any hope to think that this could change, because the man facing him was wearing a goddamn garment fit for his goddamn _wedding_.

He tightened his jaw. "Of course I lied to you," he said evenly. "Every minute of it was a damn lie. I just wanted to screw a straight guy."

Law glared fiercely at him, and it took Sanji all he had not to quiver with excitement. He wanted to fan himself, lunge out into an area where he could breathe air that wasn't already touched by Law's lungs. He was suffocating with just Law's presence and he was sure he was going to make a fool of himself somehow – probably by fainting or suffering from blood loss.

He had to touch his nose, sure he was going to lose control anyway. "Nothing about it had any real feelings to it – you and I knew that."

"You don't get to decide what I feel," Law said slowly, fists balling up at his sides. "You don't get to say how I'm supposed to feel. You led me on, the same way I did to you. But I want to know if it were true for you. I want to know why it's that easy for you to leave so quickly!"

Sanji couldn't resist straightening the boutonniere that sat lopsided on his lapel, then reaching up to tuck gelled strands back into place. He then licked his thumb to smooth out his eyebrows, causing Law to slap at him impatiently. "You found yourself a gorgeous female Demon to have fun with for the rest of your lives – such a lucky man, she's got pillows to keep your nights warm - !"

He eked out a startled sound as Law grabbed him by his jacket and slammed him up against the doors. Surprising, but also telling that Sanji had hit a nerve.

"Stop talking about her that way!" Law snarled at him. "It pisses me off that you would still admire someone else while I'm right in front of you!"

"Shit, your jealousy is a little _hot_ – "

"I'm _jealous_ because you keep talking about other people!"

Before Sanji could process that, Law managed to rip his Glamour off, exposing his face. Humiliated by its own condition, Sanji quickly twisted away. With the lack of his Glamour, it exposed the physical truth to the man that tossed the Glamour aside. It vanished with a hiss, curdling up into ashes swept away by the breeze.

"Your violent hands are making me just a little excited," Sanji confessed breathlessly. "I'm all for a violent tryst that ends in blood and tears, but I wouldn't want you going back to the alter in it. It would ruin such a beautiful lady's wonderful day – "

"Then look at me and tell me the truth!" Law snapped, lunging out to grab him but Sanji darted away, so they ended up running from the doors and moving down the sidewalk, people looking over with curious expressions. There was something interesting about seeing a bridegroom chasing after another man. "Why won't you look at me?"

"Because you're too bright! Ugh, your happiness and well being is making me sick," Sanji confessed, feeling his stomach lurch dangerously with all the running about. He had to stop to swallow back the vomit making its up way to his throat and Law finally caught him so he grabbed his jacket and spun him around so that he could look at him.

Before anything could be said, Sanji threw up all over Law's clothes, causing many a spectator to look away with a grimace. Using the other man to brace himself, Sanji spat onto the sidewalk while Law just stood there, expressionless.

"Sorry," Sanji apologized, feeling his face and neck fill with color. " _I'm so sorry_."

He was surprised to feel Law's cold hands on his face, forcing him to look up. He was so ashamed of his messy appearance that it was difficult making eye contact with him – but damn if Law's fingers weren't so damn strong and lithe, making his skin tingle hotly with frustrating strength. Law did end up making a face at Sanji's sloppy skin and terrible appearance. But he looked from that to pin him with an intense glare, fingers tightening on his jaw and cheeks.

"Now…tell me the truth," Law said slowly, looking into Sanji's eyes. It hurt to see them again, so full of vulnerabilities that were never present before. It made him curious to know just how much Sanji hid from him in the first place. But it also made him realize that he couldn't look at another person this way – not even with Baby. Looking deep into Sanji's eyes felt like something more than _looking_. It was connecting on another level. So strong and intense that he almost felt like losing his breath.

"Why was it so easy for you to walk away?"

It was difficult for Sanji to speak, so caught up in being pinned by that intense gaze that nothing seemed easy to express. But he would do his best. "I already told you. It would hurt me more than it would hurt you."

"Does it still hurt?"

"Obviously. I've been a fucking mess since then."

"Then it doesn't make sense that you'd give up right away! All you had to do was prove him wrong!"

"It wouldn't have been that easy!" Sanji jerked away from him, so mortified by ruining Law's suit and by revealing this fragile part of himself to him. "I saved us both a bunch of stupid trouble."

"You ended up making more of it! You never asked me what I felt! You never gave me a goddamn choice! _You_ made the decision to walk away and leave me standing there like a fucking moron. I only did this shit to make you look stupid!"

"Well, you sure showed me, didn't you?"

"I did! You're the asshole for not giving me a choice!"

"I saved your dumbass from a lot of trouble!" Sanji then whimpered, reaching out to grasp onto him tightly around the waist. "It's such a beautiful ass! There's no other one like it! May it be forever blessed!"

"You gave up and walked away like all the other times, and I'm pissed about it!" Law snapped at him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders so that he couldn't escape. "That fucker knew nothing about us – he knew shit about me, he said shit to mind fuck you and you fucking believed him, so don't give me any shit that you did this to Save us both because it didn't even work!"

"I couldn't take the rejection!" Sanji exclaimed, realizing he was trapped. So he rested his forehead onto Law's shoulder, feeling too weak to move. His fingers curled into the material of Law's jacket, clutching desperately. He could melt right now, but he felt he couldn't do that – not to Law's fiancée. To anyone else it was fine because they were nothing more than a quick hit but this was different. So very different.

He'd missed this physical closeness of the other man, missed hearing him, smelling him, seeing him – he wanted to make Law his second skin. But he was for certain that he wouldn't be the best choice. He was worthless right now, owing money to everyone, disappointing those close to him and knowing it was a long road to another recovery. He felt Law deserved so much better than him. He was just a Demon with a seemingly endless string of bad decisions trailing after him, waiting to make another appearance, and he didn't want Law involved in any of it. But at the same time, he just had to admit this one little part out loud.

"I couldn't take you changing your mind and then leaving me like that. I don't know why it hurts so much but it does and I can't make it go away…"

Without these words accompanied by any weird declarations or actions, Law was surprised at how heavy he now felt because he heard them. They were the truth, and even if so, he felt relieved hearing them. Now, what to do with them was a different matter. But all he could do was react as truthfully as he felt.

Even if it meant hurting others. He didn't care if it hurt others, frankly.

"I don't understand why I would leave after learning this," Law said heavily, fingers gripping onto Sanji's shoulders tightly. He hadn't expected how hard it was to calm himself down; Sanji felt so different from Baby but it felt so right, so comfortable. Like holding onto Bepo after a hard day – comforted with the same sort of feel he'd get from petting and adoring him, knowing he was adored right back. "Why would I? Unless it was some weird shit that absolutely no one can take…"

"You would've been so shocked by the movie I had planned so how could you handle any small piece of me - !"

Law did whap at his back with an open palm, reddening considerably with humiliation. "I thought that was just a dumb Disney movie and rented that for movie night and she took it so utterly _wrong_ \- !"

Sanji laughed noisily with his head thrown back, trying to picture the pair ready for an animated feature but faced with nearly three hours worth of dwarves releasing their signature moves on a very willing female explorer. Seeing Sanji laugh unleashed a different sort of heat in Law he hadn't felt in a long time – he was pretty sure that his own feelings for the other man was never going to go away.

He wanted to kiss him. Even if he smelled like vomit and looked the way he did, Law really _really_ wanted to kiss the other man. He grew so nervous at the thought that he just froze, alarmed with his own sudden reaction.

Chuckling, Sanji looked at him with mirth. He tensed because he saw the look Law was giving him, already knowing what the tension was about. He wanted so badly to react to it, eyes dropping to his lips with intense longing. But he couldn't do it – not on Law's _goddamn wedding day_.

He forced an exhale and looked away, to force himself to change the tension. He couldn't do this – he couldn't pull Law along with him in his wake of troubling situations and problems. He couldn't corrupt the other man and only thought of his safety. After all, there was more than just Katakuri's interference that could pop up again. He clapped a hand on Law's shoulder companionably, looking away with regret.

"But you should be thanking me for getting you two in the mood later!"

"I wasn't 'in the mood' after seeing _that_! It started off with two cocks in one mouth with oysters involved, so what the hell does that do to get anyone in the mood?"

"Does your dick not work?" Sanji then asked with concern, unable to resist dropping his eyes to look for himself.

"It works fine!" Law insisted with a red face, using a hand to cover Sanji's face. "Stop looking!"

"What does _she_ say about it?" Sanji then asked with the same tone.

" _Enough_. I'm not talking about that sort of thing with you!"

"Because I will not forgive you if you still think instantaneous satisfaction is caused with just a poke and a shake," Sanji threatened him, grabbing him by his vest to shake him. He then began to walk back up the sidewalk with him, heading for the car parked haphazardly in the walkway. "Tell me you at least learned _something_ to make her happy."

"There's been no complaints! Pretty sure that it means something if there are no complaints," Law mumbled uncomfortably. Baby had taken his virginity and had been quite vocal with how satisfied she was, so he assumed that he was doing his part okay. But he'd always wondered because her way of satisfaction meant an over the top assurance that she was happy. Now he _really_ doubted himself.

"When it's happening, who does the work?"

"Well…she does, so – "

"Then it's a sham! A lie! You're a pitiful lover, and I demand that you go back and work hard at improving it! After all the instructions I gave you, you insult me this way!" Sanji cried, jerking him forcefully alongside him. He pushed him into the driver's seat roughly, using his feet to get Law's long legs to follow. Once he had him in the car, he leaned into the driver's side window to say, "Once you absolutely know what it means to satisfy a female, then get back at me."

" _Why_?" Law asked incredulously, straightening up in the seat. "Are you really a female?"

"Goodbye, Law. Take care of that gorgeous princess of yours, and live a satisfying life. You deserve it," Sanji then said, turning on the vehicle's push button and then twisting the knob into drive.

Flustered, Law had to focus on getting control of Nami's car as Sanji then hurried off to his bags, making his way into the train station. Seeing him escape this way, Law hit the gas pedal only to merge completely onto the sidewalk, causing people to scream and leap out of the way just to avoid getting mowed down. He found the brake and slammed to a stop, giving a growl of frustration.

Leaving the car running, he ran into the station. He didn't see Sanji anywhere as he hastily searched the ticket counters, a crowd of people moving in various directions to either make their connecting trains or using the facilities to get to their destination.

But it was absolutely clear to him that this was not over. Sanji still had feelings for him, and damned if he was going to escape this time. With all this indecisive cowardice guiding Sanji's feelings, it was apparent there was only one thing to do – he was going to either force those wings to grow, or completely cut them off. After a few moments of consideration, he shifted form.

Outside the station, Zoro slammed to a stop. This was his third time coming up to the train station on this infuriatingly internal loop of a one way street, but he was absolutely sure that was Nami's car parked on the sidewalk. Before he could dig out his cellphone to call her, the sun was momentarily blocked by something massive. His senses rung as he looked out the window to see Law in titan form withdraw his sword.

He grew excited for a moment, thinking there was some battle going on that would mean his involvement.

" _Sanji_!" he heard Law growl out. Humans couldn't hear it, but any Demon or Angel nearby could. "Only I can make your decision for you!"

"Don't bother!" Zoro heard Sanji snap, but his voice was very faint, and didn't come from any sure direction.

"I'll kill the Demon side of you so that Angel side can completely take over!"

"I'm not like you, goddamn it! You kill me, that's fucking _it_! I will haunt you from hell!"

"Then I'll kill us both! With a fucking _spoon_!"

He decided he wasn't going to get involved in this one. He decided to give this road one more try, figuring he was definitely going to make it to the wedding in time.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This chapter is such a mess. But next will be the conclusion!**

 **Naghi-Tan:** D:

 **HS:** He's been around long enough to know what he's doing. So when it happens, following the themes of this story, you can pretty much expect that these scenes will be similar to those of 'White Rabbit' (bc I love writing clumsy, silly smex – there just isn't enough of it) :D Sanji did walk away, for his own reasons – pretty much because he was abandoned by others throughout his life, and he chose to do it first. Zoro will never ever be NOT lost XD Even in this chapter. And this chapter is as chaotic as it gets!

 _ **Chapter Seventeen**_

* * *

Apprehensively, Sanji locked himself in the bathroom of his car. He couldn't hear Law's voice anymore, but people in the train were scrambling with fear and panic as rumbling caused a nearby train to derail and metal screeched noisily with protest. He could feel the heavy steps of the shoulder devil titan moving over the ground, and tried to sort out his panic. People were now scrambling to escape this car, running by noisily as they sought safety. Their train shifted violently, tossing him against the wall. He couldn't picture what was happening, but he knew the Demon side had no regard for human life.

 _What was Law doing? Wasn't he appreciative of the free pass Sanji was giving him?_

It was only because he was getting married to such a damned doll that Sanji was leaving him gracefully! Now, if Law were getting married to another man, _then_ Sanji would stay and wreck both of their lives, their families' lives, their coworkers' cousins' girlfriends' childhood neighbor friends… _everyone_ would be consumed.

At the shrill scream coming from a woman who'd been left behind in the other car, Sanji clumsily sprang to action. He darted out from the bathroom to see that the train had been pulled from the tracks and dumped two cars near the front to sit haphazardly onto the divider. People were abandoning the cars through the windows, scrambling to get to safety; unknowingly running over the shoulder devil's foot as he was standing in the midst of the mess. Sirens were sounding off in all directions.

Sanji heard the scream of the sword Law had, and caught the sound of it slicing through metal – more human screams shattered the beautiful day, and Sanji saw the woman who'd screamed earlier caught in between seats, struggling to get out. With a hiss he hurried over to her and kicked aside one seat to give her room to move. Once she was free, he yanked her to the aisle and pushed her to safety as the car lifted.

"You jerk!" he shouted angrily, grasping hold of one of the seats to steady himself. The car dropped back down, and the ceiling was split open. He hastily evaded being seen by following after the other passengers as they sought doors to open. It seemed that they were locked, so windows were battered as people screamed for escape.

"Once again, you didn't give me a choice," he heard Law's voice in his head say, coated with that unearthly Demon grumble. Sanji had to steady his heart, hand on his chest. Then he quickly shook off that swoon to kick out a couple of windows so people could start escaping through them. He helped people do so; handing kids to men that reached in for them, assisting the older ladies as they abandoned walkers and canes.

"You're even more indecisive than I! Controlled by two warring sides! What _Demon_ helps human beings from the wreckage?"

The car was lifted from the ground, causing those standing outside the windows to jump and those still inside to tumble painfully into the other side. Sanji grabbed onto a seat, legs dangling as they were pulled feet off the tracks and into the air.

"Stop fucking around!" he shouted. " _What is the matter with you_?"

"Let me kill this part of you – or at least remove your damn wings. Then maybe you won't be that hasty to walk away the next time you're given a fucking choice."

"I swear to Shanks…I'm NOT LIKE YOU!"

"Then why do you help these damn scumbags?"

"Calm that Demon disgust, you're putting innocent people in danger! You're hurting them!"

"Then do something about it!"

 _Oh, god, he's so fucking hot_ , Sanji thought helplessly, unable to quell the rising feelings of arousal in him. His expression turned into delight. _Threatening human beings just to prove me a point – nothing better than that!_

He shook his head and struggled to think straight. Making his way to the open window, he popped out to give the half Demon, half Angel a glare. After a moment Law was full Demon so seeing the transformation was enough to have Sanji's heart skip a few beats as he admired the hellish beauty of the titan. Those pinpoints of eyes focused on him, resheathing his sword with a flutter of his wings. Humans shrieked in fear once Law allowed himself to be seen by everyone – Sanji wondered how he was able to do that; everyone was normally comfortable going unseen by human beings while in true form.

Crawling out from the train car, Sanji snapped at him, "You're acting like an idiot! Doing this does nothing for anybody! All this damn destruction just to get my attention – I'm flattered, really, but it doesn't help!"

Law shook the train, almost causing him to lose his balance. Humans shrieked in fear and panic inside, rattled like toys within the metal containment.

"STOP!"

"What is it going to take to convince you that the only reason for your dumb ass decisions is because of your poorly chopped wings? If you had them or had them completely removed, you'd understand where you stand."

"It's not up to you to make that decision!"

"You made mine! I'm simply returning the favor."

Sanji huffed with indignant action. He rubbed at his left breast with discomfort. "My body wants me to suck your Demon dick but my heart tells me you're a goddamn son of a bitch with a fucking death wish! Put this goddamn car down! Threatening the lives of human beings just so you can appeal to my heart isn't working…sort of…"

"You care more for these humans than you do for my helpful offer. That pisses me off. Once again, you disregard what I feel to think for me!" Law snarled, shifting the car and forcing Sanji to grab onto the window to avoid being thrown off. Once he realized that the Demon intended on throwing it, he panicked.

"Don't do this! What will your wife say once she finds out you killed people just to have a piece of your side action?"

The train car was caught in mid-motion, Law grunting. "I have…hmm…maybe about fifteen minutes before that happens. It's not official."

"See, I told you before," Sanji grunted as he attempted climbing up from the window to settle atop the roof of the train, steadying himself with a crouch. "I don't approve of you having any side chicks and would kill them myself. But if _I'm_ the sidechick, I'm killing the wife. And this puts me in an unsteady place because I'm already in love with your wife and – "

"Stop calling her my wife!" Law shouted angrily, hurling the train car towards some nearby buildings. Sanji could think of no way to stop it in time, and there were no Angels on scene. The screams of the humans inside caught his ear, and there was no time to plead with God to save them.

"Fuck," he muttered bitterly, pushing his wings out. In a moment, he took shape – his Demon form sucked up the light around him, a black hole of color that made it difficult to distinguish where his body ended and where his limbs began. His wings spread out and stopped the momentum, allowing himself to hold tightly onto the train car and steady himself with a touchdown onto the street to keep from smashing into the buildings. Just as his Demon form revealed itself, it immediately began to change again – blending in with his surroundings like a hellish chameleon.

Law blinked – he was sure he'd seen Sanji finally change, but it happened so fast that as soon as his sight had registered seeing the other Demon, it had disappeared. But he caught sight of the train car being lowered carefully to the ground, and focused on that.

"Good," he said. "Now we can talk civilly, _reasonably_."

He didn't hear a reply – he waited for any sound on Sanji's end to give him an indication of being confronted by another Demon.

"Sanji."

Turning in a small circle, being careful to avoid stepping on anything below him, Law scanned his surroundings. He remembered that Sanji had mentioned he was a sort of stealth Demon, so this probably attributed to his form. Demons couldn't fight each other, recognizing each other as allies so he fluttered his wings anxiously.

"Now that you're a Demon again, surely you can think differently," he said. "I told you my feelings. Now you have no choice but to return them."

 _Such a devious plan_! Sanji thought, clawed hands to his mouth with pleasure. He was standing just a short distance away, pressed against an apartment building. There was nothing to indicate that he was there. _Only he could think of something so wretched and vile! I want to kill him and wear him as a nightrobe, use his teeth to eat his heart!_

He couldn't speak due to the restriction of his form, but he was aware that his way of thinking had changed. Once again, he felt the undeniable strength of being a Demon – overconfident, strong, devious, capable of rending a city to ashes if he wanted to. It was difficult to think previously of his care for humans – they were nothing but ants underfoot but so worthless and beneath him that he'd think nothing of crushing them if he moved. At the same time, a small part of him reminded him that they existed to give him pleasure and security – they provided him with entertainment, food, wonder…

He heard the strong flutter of Law's wings, looking over at the Demon as his head twisted this way and that, searching for him.

 _Hell with that stupid wedding_ , Sanji thought. _We're going to crash it and I'm going to tell that bitch to her face that he's mine_! _Then maybe celebrate it with destroying her entire family, his friends, the Angels that lost their will_ \- !

 _Don't think that way! You can't make her cry_! another part of him cried out. A vision of Baby came into mind, and he snarled. The building rumbled slightly as he pushed away from it, catching Law's attention.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Law questioned, trying to follow the movement Sanji was making, but Sanji had already crouched low and started making his way carefully between buildings to avoid detection. "Are you fucking running away again?"

 _Actually, I just want to find the bride and make him prove himself that he wants me_ , Sanji thought deviously. _Can't have you stopping me._

He then halted short. No, shit, what am I thinking? I can't do that – he'd be upset, too. After all, they agreed to get married! _All the more reason to fucking kill her_! It's not her fault! _I'll wear her skin as my wedding dress! Like Leatherface!_ No, I'll be ugly! _I'll show these brides how to be fucking beautiful!_

 _I feel like I'm going through puberty all over again_! Sanji thought with dismay, settling down to sit at a cross section, claws going to his head. _All these damn Demonic thoughts and impulses running through me like a hot dick through ass_! Gotta get ahold of myself, think reasonably!

Law changed into an Angel, and Sanji perked up hungrily. His Demon senses exploded with a devilishly eager hunger to kill something so mighty, despite his other senses crying out with horror. Instinct was stronger than reason, overwhelming his thoughts and surging through him to attack and kill. He stood from the street and pounced, the Angel scanning opposite of where he was. Before he could hit Law, another Angel slammed into Sanji from the side, roaring with delight.

Sanji slammed through some buildings before he could catch himself. His form shimmered black before once again blending in, dust coating the area.

"Dumb ass," Zoro told Law, his mangled wing fluttering. "You almost died."

"He's not talking to me! How else to bring him out!" Law returned. "And I thought you went back to the church."

"I…got lost." Zoro scanned the area where he had seen Sanji land, watching the dust suddenly shift. "And besides, he can't talk – you literally unleashed a manic Demon that won't communicate with you."

"Now that we're all settled out of those stupid roles, this shouldn't be a problem!"

"Why do you think we were all so eager to fight him?"

Law shrugged.

"Because the only reason why he stopped attacking was because of these humans underfoot. You unleashed a rabid killer, and I can't wait to - !" Zoro said with delight before finding himself kicked from the right, knocking him completely off his feet. Law couldn't see how this happened, but he heard an unsettling hiss caused by movement only. Zoro had just hit the streets beyond the train station when his head was crunched hard by unseen force from the top. It sent Law straight down underneath the rails below, buried under tons of concrete, metal and trains that tumbled in after him.

He felt his wings being ensnared, and he was yanked out from the rubble with such force that he barely registered being hit before unforgiving force wrapped around his neck. He realized he was being rear-naked choked, astounded that Sanji would kill him.

Zoro was back on his feet, eagerly racing towards them. Law felt weight shift on his back, preventing his wings from moving as an equally dangerous strength wrapped around his ribs. Bones began to crack and his teeth ground together as he desperately tried to reach behind him to pull at Sanji. All four of his arms grasped at the air as Zoro charged with a thunderous roar. The weight around his ribs disappeared and Law found himself yanked hard to the side so that Zoro's swords would meet him first. Zoro lowered his shoulder and slammed into both of them with such force that all three of them went sailing away from the train station and into various buildings to the east, crashing through structures and rolling through busy streets with a thunder of sound.

Law gasped for air the moment he felt he could breathe, but the Demon was still on his back. Once they crashed, Sanji's arms tightened around his neck once more, choking off his airway.

" _Demon_!" Zoro roared, Angel voice distorted by his monstrous lungs and vocal chords. "Turn onto your belly, dumb ass! I'll chop him off."

Law didn't want to do that, but he needed air. He didn't understand why Sanji wanted to kill him so badly, but then again – it made sense considering that he'd changed into Angel form. So he merged both sides together, the weight on his back leaving him immediately. He coughed and choked for air, a thunder of sound occurring as Zoro found himself attacked.

" _Yay_!" Law thought he heard Luffy's delighted scream from somewhere closeby, and he saw that Angel pull form, releasing a thunderous roar of approval. "Sanji! This time you won't win!"

"We're not killing him!" Law shouted angrily, unsurprised to see Luffy lunging into the battle with a manic scream of approval. He and Zoro moved in tandem to fight, but he absolutely could not see the Demon they were attacking. He had to stop it before the three of them raged out of control.

It finally occurred to him that Luffy was there – so Law assumed that Nami brought him. They must have been looking for Zoro. So he scanned the streets and sidewalks until he caught sight of that bright orange hair, the woman standing on the top of a parking garage with Luffy's car parked haphazardly in the middle of the pathway. Ussop was left behind to protect the wedding party, and Kolby was hiding behind him this time.

"You idiots!" Nami shrieked. "This is no time to be fighting!"

Law lunged towards her and once she caught sight of him, she dropped her water bottle with fright. Shimmering into human view, people were treated to the sight of a monster looking to use Nami as the damsel in distress. He caught her, trying to handle her delicately as she shrieked in fear.

Not even a few moments later, Baby appeared in view with her shotgun. She looked up at him with fury and determination, shotgun pumped majestically. The spray of the shotgun blast hit him, but it did nothing to his form. He held Nami out of danger, the woman shrieking her lungs off as she was held in his grasp.

Then she inhaled to scream down at the woman below. "Don't you fucking shoot, goddamn it! You're going to hit me!"

Law couldn't talk to Baby in anyway, but he shrugged to indicate that he had no way to explain himself. She pumped it again, giving a grit of her teeth. "Sorry, Nami! I'll aim lower!"

The cigarette she clamped down on left a trail of smoke as she ran towards the edge of the parking garage. She fired at him again, then tossed the useless weapon aside when she realized it wasn't causing any damage. From somewhere in her wedding dress, she withdrew an RPG.

"DEMON!" she shrieked. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR TRYING TO RUIN MY WEDDING!"

" _What the fuck_? Where are you hiding those?" Law cried out with dismay. He was aware of her hand gun collection at home, but to think she had these things in her damn _wedding dress_ was something else. She fired at him, the round exploding somewhere near his ribcage. It did pack a punch so he stumbled clumsily, Nami shrieked bloody murder once again.

Because Baby hadn't seen Law in either form, she was unaware that she was facing her groom-to-be. So she shouted, "It's time to make your acquaintance status defunct! You will no longer try to interfere with my wedding!"

Law was so startled that he ended up dropping Nami towards the street. The shrill shriek she made as her body intended on creating a human pancake on the pavement rang out. Not even a moment later, she was saved by an invisible hand that caught her moments before she could impact.

It severely irritated him that Sanji would somehow go out of his way for that troublemaker – when he should be focused on Law instead. No matter that his wife to be was intending on killing him herself. Baby reloaded her RPG.

Law jumped where he assumed Sanji was and caught hold of a slim, powerful body with sharp wings under his arms. Nami was delicately placed on the sidewalk, her hair in disarray and her breath leaving her in panicked puffs. Using his weight to crush the Demon into the street, Law intended on talking reason when Luffy pounced from behind, crushing them both down beneath the pavement and causing more mass destruction.

"GET OFF!"

"Move out of the way, Law! I want him! _I want him_ , he's so delicious!" Luffy cried manically, scratching and pulling at Law to get him out of the way. Both of them were sent sailing upward and away as Sanji twisted and kicked them both. For a moment he shimmered into view – a pure black being with pinpoints of amber colored eyes. Once Law saw him, his mouth dropped open.

 _Oh…oh I'm in love_ , he realized with pure Demon appreciation. His Angel side quivered, caught in the throes of similar admiration.

"OUT OF THE WAY, NAMI!" Baby roared from atop of the parking garage, aiming at Law once again. She couldn't see the other two, who looked at the bride to be with surprise.

"DON'T SHOOT!" Nami bellowed, waving her arms about. "FRIENDLIES! _They're friendlies_!"

Sanji reached out and grabbed Baby, the woman shrieking with fury once her arms lost hold of her weapon. His Demon form obviously found the woman enchanting as she spit her cigarette at him and kicked mightily, her skirts rustling noisily in mid-grasp.

Enraged, Law shoved Luffy aside and withdrew his sword. In one mighty swipe, he sliced off Sanji's wings, the Demon shimmering for a moment before he reverted back to human form, both him and Baby falling in mid-air.

"Aw, party pooper," Luffy lamented, changing back. Law caught both Baby and Sanji in one hand, the former Demon looking shocked as Baby once again roared with distress.

Setting them down onto the street carefully, Law then returned to human form. Sanji looked at him with alarm before registering all the damage around them. Baby shook off her skirts and looked at Law with dismay.

"Honey!" she cried, running over. "What is going on? I thought! I almost killed you!"

"Not really," he said, pushing her face away rather harshly.

"Don't treat this princess that way!" Sanji roared at him before catching sight of Nami as she hurried over. He hissed. "Ugh, Demon queen! What have you done?"

"What do you mean, _What have_ I _done_?" Nami roared back at him. " _You're_ the one that caused this huge mess!"

"I can't believe you!" Law shouted at Sanji furiously, striding over to him while Sanji cringed at the sound of his voice. "A magnificent Demon form and you throw away all morals at the sight of two useless women!"

"Hey, now," Nami complained while Baby's mouth dropped open.

"Who was the one that made me do so?" Sanji bellowed back, reaching behind him to touch his back. His wings were clipped once again, messily coating his shirt with remnants of black blood. "I can't believe this! You threatened human lives just to get me to change? I couldn't even control myself!"

"I did this so you can see reason – "

"And was there? Was there any reason at all?"

"Oh, Law," Nami murmured, hand to her face. "You're such a dumbass."

"Law?" Baby questioned, chin quivering. Her dress rustled as she took cautious steps closer to them. "Sweetie? What's going on?"

"Where the hell did you get a fucking RPG?" Law demanded of her. "And why did you have it in your damn clothes?"

"Oh, honey, I did it for us!"

"What the hell were you expecting at a fucking _wedding_ \- ?"

"Don't yell at her!" Sanji bellowed, striding over to stand in front of her. "How dare you disrespect her planning? Obviously, she was prepared in any event! She thought of everything!"

"Ridiculous…" Law then glared at Baby, who stared back at him defiantly. A few seconds later, she was crying against Sanji, who did his best to comfort her until she realized who she was seeking comfort from. She slapped him before pulling away.

"Why do you smell like vomit?" Nami then questioned Law, sniffing him. " _Ew_."

"I puked on him, it's all my fault," Sanji said sheepishly, shoulders touching his ears. "I have this awful hangover…"

"Whatever you came here for," Baby cried, grabbing Law's arm, "it's time to end it! We need to get back to the church!"

"I can't," Law said, ripping his arm away from her. "I'm not getting married."

Everyone gasped, except Nami who looked purely entertained as she looked from one to the other with interest. Baby's eyes filled with tears as her gloved hands went to her mouth with shock.

"As stupid as it sounds, I have feelings for this idiot, here," Law said, reaching out and grabbing Sanji by the arm. The Demon looked mortified, face filling with color as Luffy watched with a disgusted expression. "I can't keep living a lie."

"I'm sorry," Sanji apologized to Baby. "It's all my fault. I caused this mess."

"I wanted him to admit his true feelings, so I came here to get my answers," Law said. "As such, I can't go through with marrying you. I don't even like you that much."

" _Booo_!" someone yelled from atop of the parking garage, so they all looked up to see Corazon perched at the edge, Law's friends watching from the railing. It was Penguin who was yelling at him, so Law looked troubled. "A chance for a normal life, and you choose one that's going to get everyone killed!"

"I kinda don't care," Law admitted.

"How could you do this to me?" Baby whispered, wiping her eyes. "All this time together has given you nothing? I gave you _everything_!"

"I didn't even like it. You're basically a liar, too. Being with you has been terribly dull."

"You are a coward and a dick!" she shouted at him. "You didn't have to go this far!"

"I only did those things because people wanted me to, not because _I_ wanted to. Plus, I wanted to prove to Sanji that he's absolutely wrong."

"What a way to go about it!" Sanji and Baby snapped at him.

"You ruined lives, today! Hurt many people! Almost allowed me to kill you! Just to be fucking _childish_!" Sanji shouted angrily at him, ripping his arm from Law's grasp. He turned away, trying to compose himself as Baby sobbed into her hands. But a moment later he was in Law's arms, glomping him with affection. "I am so turned on right now, I just might explode in my pants! I want your children mixing with my children to die uselessly on these very streets!"

" _Ew_ ," Nami muttered as Baby's mouth dropped open.

"Okay, I can't do that," Luffy said with a sigh, hand to his stomach. "I can't be that way towards another dude. Sorry, Law, I have to turn down your proposal."

"I NEVER PROPOSED TO YOU!"

" _Him too_?" Baby cried in outrage, looking at Luffy while Nami rolled her eyes. "Aren't you just a fuckboy? Playing with emotions and hearts like they're nothing!"

Law had to push Sanji's head aside just to look at them, the Demon clinging to him with happy nuzzling. "Well, I _am_ a shoulder devil, so…I get mixed up and indecisive choosing a side. Unfortunately for you, I tend to go with my Demon side a lot."

"What gets me the worst is how I already reserved our vaults, together," Baby shook with rage. "Named our children, our cats - !"

"I told you, we can't have other animals other than Bepo."

"FUCK THAT DOG! I HATE THAT DOG! YOU LOVE HIM MORE THAN ME!"

"I do, even more than this one," Law admitted with a shrug, finally managing to pull Sanji away from him.

" _I am so humiliated_!" Baby cried out while Nami looked at her with pure pity. Luffy picked at his nose, shaking his head. Above them, Law's friends were arguing with Penguin while Corazon soaked up all the negative feelings, practically radiating with joy.

Suddenly, Baby pulled out a .45 from the bodice of her dress. "Everyone will understand when I do this!"

The bang of the gun exploded noisily on the street, all of them reacting with a start. Nami gasped as she realized that Sanji had thrown himself in front of Law to protect him. Everyone looked on with horror as Law caught him as he slumped over the man, Baby eking out a terrible sob. She dropped her gun, turned and ran up the street, skirts fluttering.

Horrified, Law carefully laid Sanji onto the street as spectators enjoying the scene suddenly reacted with horror; some raced over to assist, others were on their phone. Seeing how limp and lifeless Sanji was, every bit of anxiety and horror crossed over Law's face. Thinking he'd lost him, his hands shook as Nami stood over them, hands to her shocked features.

Luffy looked over gravely as they watched Law search for the gunshot wound, ripping open Sanji's shirt to do so. Sanji's hands suddenly shot up and covered himself hastily, looking outraged. He wasn't fast enough to cover up the fact that he had packages of cocaine strapped tightly to him by use of duct tape and a woman's camisole. Two of the packages had burst, so he was spilling onto the street.

"Oh, _Sanji_ ," Nami said with pure exasperation.

"Is that sugar?" Luffy asked curiously, reaching over to get a taste when Nami kicked him to save his life.

"This was my rent deposit and security fee on a penthouse in Miami," Sanji muttered dejectedly. Law slapped him angrily, rising up with a huff. Sanji rose without trouble, spectators cheering and clapping once they realized he was alive.

"Look, I'm sorry," Sanji said to Law as the shoulder devil stood off to the side with tightly crossed arms. "I made the mistake. I should've believed in you, but…I've been on my own for so long that it's difficult to accept that someone would actually want me for me. So I left."

Law looked back at him. He did have to admit that Sanji had every reason to be afraid of that, considering what he'd said of his family life. He could forgive him easily.

"Then don't leave," he said firmly. "Not this time."

"It's hard to promise not to, but…"

"Or otherwise I will do this all over again and kill Nami."

" _Like I care_ -!"

"HEY!" Nami shouted, outraged.

"But Sanji's wings are gone," Luffy said, examining Sanji's bloody back, poking at the blackened stumps that were visible against his shirt.

"I cut them just enough so that they can return again," Law said, spinning Sanji around to look at them for himself. "Because there might be a time when he'll need them again."

"I can't imagine a time when I'd want them!" Sanji exclaimed, pushing away from him. "I almost killed you, and I couldn't control myself! I felt like I was going through puberty all over again – nothing was getting through to me!"

"Women in distress seems to get your attention, oddly. Humans. Fucking asshole."

"Sanji, are you sure you're not like him?" Nami asked curiously.

Sanji sighed, thinking back to the chaotic scenes that had transpired. "I honestly don't know, anymore. One part of me wanted all this death and destruction while another was arguing with me about it the entire time. I could only acknowledge the only part I was truly familiar with."

"Only I can show you the way," Law said with determination, quite sure that this was the answer he needed. He was quite positive he was not alone.

"Well…enough of this mess," Nami said with a sigh. "Are we done? Can we go eat? Since the wedding's off, can we still eat what's already been catered?"

"Makes no sense to waste it," Luffy said firmly. "Let's go eat."

"We've got to tell everyone we left behind that there's no wedding. Poor Baby…I feel so sorry for her."

"I don't," Law said, Sanji scowling at him. "She should've predicted I'd do this. I can't make any decisions to save my life."

"Then you two deserve each other!" Nami snapped at him, pointing at him and Sanji. "Neither of you can decide shit!"

"Don't move to Florida, Sanji," Luffy then said to the Demon, sidling up to him. "In case you decide to grow your wings back, we need another round. This one was fun!"

"I guess I'm not," Sanji said slowly, looking to Law. He couldn't quite kill the small smile that lit up his face. "I'm staying."

"Whoo hoo!"

"Hey…where's Zoro?" Nami then asked, looking around herself with surprise.

Somewhere on the south end of town, Zoro was still in Angel form, creeping around the city blocks, trying to convince Sanji to come out of hiding.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I got insanely busy – then none of the endings I wrote worked for me. D: So I wrote this one instead and…it's not the last chapter at all. T_T This is honestly unplanned territory so IDK how it'll end or when LOL (cries)**

 **Naghi-Tan: A very rare form indeed! Now, if only Law could succeed in his determination to have Sanji 'recognize' his Angel self (if Sanji did have one XD)**

 **HS: Zoro's a little backwards lol He's always late for the fun! Who knows what else Sanji has hidden on him lol Doflamingo was too busy admiring himself and making himself look as ugly as possible for his son's wedding when he realized everyone was gone. Otherwise he would have made it worse!**

 **Sarge1130: Thanks for your binging! Sanji has no reserves in showing his affection XD Law was interested in roleplaying because he's a regular attendee of game-cons, so he's a little open about testing those waters. He *is selfish – I imagined him as a spoiled kid who only learned to share when he found his friends, and when he's not with them, that imperfection still peeks through (look at the way he treats his guardians – I'd slap a kid if they spoke to me like that lol). I like him with flaws! I like all my characters with flaws – perfection scares me. I chose Katakuri because he's currently popular, and I *love his ugliness XD Remember, their nights were based on food kinks and not others lol! Sanji is okay with bad relationships – as a Demon, he chose to experience the worst and is comfortable with them –since this story is humorous and light, not every relationship he had was…*bad. Just more of the kind he had with Katakuri (Law would be horrified to learn more lol) I love writing big scenes! So writing the Zoo scene was fun In that particular scene, both of them displayed a sort of selfishness – Sanji didn't try to prove Katakuri wrong and Law just let him walk away. (both of them taught each other a childish lesson) Law watched the movie with Baby because he thought it was a Disney adventure lol! Sanji still has more to show (horrify) him with XD I have a lot of predictable tropes going on this story, so I hope to keep it predictable! Law is awkward and selfish – once he realized he did have feelings he was going to fix the situation as best as he could, and he used his Demon side to think for him because it was the 'practical' side Sanji could respond to. Baby did get the short end of the stick, but don't worry – she'll be just fine ;D**

 _ **Chapter Eighteen**_

* * *

A month after the wedding fiasco, Law was checking his bank account – while suffering a slight setback with a cancelled plane ride for a weeklong Las Vegas stay that included the Grand Canyon trip and some adventuring in the hellish Phoenix area on every available mountain, he came out safe. He did feel a little bad for his actions – regrettably caught up in the moment – but he felt better thinking how he'd dodged the bullet. A month of being with Sanji had reassured him that he'd done the right thing – he hadn't felt as alive with Baby as he did with Sanji. So he convinced himself it was to Baby's benefit that he left her as firmly as he had – better that than some secretive show she'd find out about later, because Law was quite positive he'd still pursue the Demon anyway.

Admittedly, their relationship was still with the overwhelming physical pressure from the Demon, but Law could concede to himself that he was okay with it. Sanji could respect his boundaries with some griping and complaining, and Bepo was starting to calm down on his attacks to allow Sanji in close to his master. Law had no regrets, actually. He and Sanji had found a two bedroom apartment to share that was close to the school; Zeff had given Sanji his job back, and both of them had weird ways of making money that neither of them questioned each other on but could rely on to get them through things fairly comfortably.

Law wondered if he should say something about it – after all, how was a jobless medical school student able to purchase video games, collectibles, travel and pay exorbitant amounts of money towards a place? But then again, Sanji was the same – how was he able to survive off the little check Zeff gave him weekly to dress in designer clothing, smoke obscenely priced cigarettes and able to afford the sleek black Dodge Charger that sat practically untouched in their second parking spot?

Since a relationship meant being open and honest, Law decided to bite the bullet and ask – he figured he might as well as do so, considering that Sanji promised him he'd drop all his bad habits. It had been a ride full of ups and downs that Sanji managed as he cleaned up – Law would either find him cleaning the apartment to a bleached sparkle or laying in the tub with the shower on full blast. He had been hoping for scenes straight out of 'Trainspotting' and received only Tumblr inspired motifs that disappointed him. Everything Sanji did was damned… _colorful_. His skin was back to perfection, he didn't reek of cigarettes and alcohol anymore, and his hair seemed fluffier. The only thing that seemed to affect him was his shakes, eating habits and a desire to drink gallons of water, of which he packed around with him in an old milk jug.

"I have no shame in my actions!" Sanji declared, standing haughtily on their balcony while smoking. He had been pacing the length of it, sweating fashionably while Law sipped at coffee. He had a quilt over his lap to help keep him warm against the cold air.

He supposed Sanji's body temperature was running hot while he continued to "sober up", which was why he was in a tank top and obscenely clingy basketball shorts. There was something much more titillating about his physical features than Baby's – he'd always dreamed of wanting a curvy woman but Sanji's bony chest and thin arms that flexed with muscle was absolutely enthralling.

Busy hands swept up sweaty blond hair and pulled it into an absurd ponytail while Sanji kept his pacing. "But I swindle my cash from relationships that I left with the threat of blackmail. All I ask in return for my silence is a few favors…all of which have been granted and which will continue to do so."

Law frowned heavily.

Every gesture Sanji made was full of flair, so his hands spoke along with his words, which were spit out with a machine gun firing pace. Law focused on his visible eyebrows, momentarily mesmerized by the swirls. "The car was paid for – insurance and registration covered. My phone and bills are paid for. My clothes are sent to me by designers that want me to say nothing about our trysts!"

"Men _and_ women?"

"I left them all on a bad note, so it's not like I have any drive to return to them. Not when I have the most beautiful flower in my box!"

"Like Katakuri?"

Sanji spit over the railing with a bad expression. Someone down on the sidewalk hollered up at him with horror.

"So there's a chance they might pop up in the future, right?"

Sanji said around his cigarette, "Eh, I'm not worried about it. And you?"

Law sipped at his coffee cup. Bepo wagged his tail lightly as he released a wide doggy smile, lounging on a nearby patio chair with his own matching quilt.

"I contribute body parts to the black market, drain bank accounts dry posing as a 'Nigerian prince', and am responsible for the influence of the presidential election. I also make money off every sale of every promoted diet product Instagram models sell."

Sanji looked at Law with a glowing respect.

"I was bored," Law said lamely. "And Doffy had a good thing going for him, targeting narcissists for their body dysmorphic disorders."

"Following in his footsteps?" Sanji whispered, uncomfortably aroused.

With a reluctant sigh, Law added, "I was also responsible for the mumble rapper generation…it's how I keep myself in school. Every few cents of an artist's sale goes to one of my many accounts."

Sanji's hands fluttered to his face to fan himself. "Utterly _wretched_!"

"I was also behind the effect of millions of gamers to spend cash on buy-ins and upgrades while they play online games."

"I think I just came in my shorts," Sanji mumbled, looking down at his lap.

"I guess there's nothing to complain about," Law then decided. "Each of us has our own evil misdeeds that seem to contribute fairly to the world."

"Um, but yours is… _extensive_ …truly Demonic…" Sanji praised him, glowing with delight.

"Maybe you'll learn how to swindle more of the world than just a few people in paltry gifts. Maybe you should think about how food and diets work, and make money like Dr Oz by peddling lose weight quick food fads."

"I don't fuck with food – that's different."

Law studied him suspiciously. "That's your Angel side speaking for you. Live a little."

"You're so hot when you're trying to sway me onto the dark side. But, alas, my heart bleeds for vulnerable human beings."

"But not those you're blackmailing…"

"They deserve it."

Law _hmphed_ , sipping at his coffee.

"Are you jealous?" Sanji asked happily, suddenly in his lap and causing him to sputter coffee over the rim. Bepo barked and made to charge so Sanji hastily left Law to put the man between them. The dog resumed sitting while Law wiped his face.

"Not jealous," Law mumbled. "But should any of them pop up like the last one – "

"I feel like a swooning maiden! Will you fight for my honor?"

"No, I'll let them take advantage of the moment and let you learn your own damn lessons."

"You are so cute when you're a _tsundere_!" Sanji squealed, hugging him around his head and nuzzling into his hair.

"GET OFF!"

"By the way," Sanji added, snatching up his gallon of water that he looked at dejectedly before opening it, "where do you get the body parts?"

"Who do you think runs the black markets down here? I manage it part time with Corazon. He's a specialist."

" _That's_ how you knew of Hiluluk…"

"Yep. Come here, let me look at your wings."

"No. Touch them and die. Gently, though…"

"I promise I won't do anything to them. I just want to look."

"Might as well as look at my dick, first. Don't do anything weird, like accidentally turning me on and then turning me off by saying creepy things," Sanji cautioned, wandering over with a wary look at Bepo as the dog watched him. He removed his ponytail, rearranging his hair. Sanji then settled himself between Law's knees, apprehensively gripping his bare feet. His back tingled with awareness, his skin rising with temperature in anticipation of the shoulder devil's touch. "Then again, I doubt you could think of anything that I haven't already done, yet…"

Law frowned, the few ideas he'd had drifting away with what limited skill he did have. It was intimidating that Sanji was so experienced, but also quite interesting because it did drive what imagination Law had of it.

"Says the guy that confessed to cleaning my dishes by licking everything, first!"

Snickering, Sanji played with his own toes as Law pulled up his somewhat sweaty shirt to look at the mounds sitting atop of his shoulder blades. It was such a pleasurable sight – the garish veins building up to the blackened stumps caused such a ghastly glow against his skin color – the wilted, deformed stubs looked like ugly moles with an inch's worth of growth in the center. But when Law touched them, he could feel the dull edge of bone and scale, Sanji reacting with a shiver as intensity shot through him.

"So _ugly_ ," Law murmured with awe, drooling a little. His own skin rippled with pleasure just touching the ghastly things.

"It's like you just proposed to me all over again," Sanji said with a content sigh, palms to his warm cheeks.

"I never did that. Growing them out again should settle some of this restlessness," Law said, tracing some of the veins with a fingertip and growing uncomfortably hot as he did so. It was just like playing with intimate parts, and he realized he didn't get this excited playing with Baby as he did just touching Sanji's wing stubs.

"No! You're Demon enough for both of us! Ahh, I said it!" Sanji said happily, jerking away from him and leaving Law looking after him with disappointment. "I get so happy when you say 'us' and 'we'!"

"I don't understand – why hold yourself back? There's no reason to, now," Law complained, adjusting his pants uncomfortably.

" _Is that boner for_ _me_?"

"The law was broken – we're not attacking each other, anymore," Law ignored the way Sanji slurped up his words, looking at him hungrily. "So if you grow your wings back, I'm sure it'd be fine. Why are you hesitating?"

"Why are you so bossy?"

"I'm just really curious why you wouldn't! You never give an answer I'd accept!"

"Then stop trying to control my goddamn life! I refuse to, you accept that, that's the end of it!"

Law huffed again. "I just want you to be happy – "

"Correction, _you_ would feel happy! This has nothing to do with _my_ happiness!"

"I just don't understand why you don't want the power that comes with it," Law said firmly. "You have a chance to live normally as a Demon – combination, rather, since I still believe you're like me – and I think that you'd feel _settled_ if you did."

"Quit trying to change me to suit you!" Sanji then considered it while Law frowned thoughtfully, suddenly aware that his selfishness was rearing its ugly head again, "Unless there's a mutual benefit for the both of us…"

"Well, if you're like me, it'd pretty much clear up a lot of things…"

"I MEANT, if roles were reversed," Sanji said slyly, edging into his space with a hungry look, "if I were pressuring you to give into a similar need, then I'll consider it."

Law's eyes narrowed. "Never mind, then."

" _No_ ," Sanji denied, whimpering as he grabbed hold of Law's shirt, "no no no! You don't understand – you _should_ understand by now! Aren't you hungry for physical satisfaction? Your bland sex life must have caused you a new desire for wanting a little of it!"

"Well, I mean…but you're so aggressive," Law admitted, slightly blushing with the admission.

"Then we can roleplay," Sanji suggested sweetly, lighting up as he petted Law's chest coyly. His thumb searched for his nipple. "I'm totally game for dressing up as a female. Maybe even as her - !"

Law kicked him with a huff, rising from his chair. " _God, no_!"

"I don't have any qualms about it – I've done enough of it for an entire lifetime," Sanji admitted, rubbing his leg. Fist into palm, he declared, "That's it! You want me to grow my wings back, I'll only do it on these terms!"

Law looked at him with horror, then clutched his shirt with consideration. Sanji saw that he was actively thinking about it, lighting up with anticipation.

"This is stupid," Law then said slowly. "I only want you to grow your wings back because it'd solve some of your anxiety, and as for the other thing – "

"You want _this_ , I want _this_. What's wrong with this proposal?"

"I mean…it's…like, interesting that you'd propose that? But to the extent of what can happen…truth to tell, it's not like…"

Sanji scoffed at him. "You're not a man until you admit to yourself that you want sex."

Law cleared his throat awkwardly, feeling like a clumsy teenager. He was curious, but fairly intimidated as well.

"I guess I'm not," he replied in a high falsetto, causing Sanji to react with a flail of his arms.

But the Demon crossed his arms stubbornly and said, "Well…that's my proposal. If you want it that bad, then you're going to have to give in order to receive."

"If I say yes," Law said slowly, "all that's needed in return is…my body."

" _Active_ participation, not you laying there like a limp fish."

"…I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

"I swear I wouldn't! I told you, once I get my fingers into all of your orifices - !"

"Stop talking about it like that, because when you mention it that way I think of…un-fun things."

"I can do unfun things," Sanji huffed, looking at him with desire.

"These are…medical procedure things that require fingers in orifices…"

"Sounds painful. _I want it_!"

Law gathered up his quilt, then retrieved Bepo and his. "Anyway, fine."

"To bed then!"

" _Not yet_! I need to overthink it and pepper it with some anxiety and come to terms with what I agreed to."

"I have a collection of informative disks that will help you prepare yourself – "

"Enough with your porn! That stuff scares me! There's so much…violence, and sweat and screaming and turtles…"

 _Did I show him that one_? Sanji wondered thoughtfully. He sighed heavily, wiping his face with exasperation. But he was settled with the agreement – not that he really wanted to, but if he finally was able to achieve what he'd only dreamed about - ! Then what could go wrong?

"Fine. I have something tame. It's an anime. It's not what you think."

Law gave him a warning look. "I swear, if it has tentacles or plants or dwarves or animals as humans in it, I'm going to throw up."

"You may return the favor," Sanji said with relief while Law looked at him with disgust. "Don't worry, this one's a coming of age story. It's very popular. It's about a boy who discovers himself…"

But Law made Sanji turn it off once he realized the direction it was taking, throwing the whole thing out the balcony door while Sanji snickered.

"How is this shit 'tame'? You are _banned_ from any other movie suggestions! Anymore of your stupid shit, and I swear to Shanks I'll cut your dick off!" Law snapped at him. He needed something to cover over what little he'd seen of 'Boku no Pico' and put in 'Just Friends' instead. "By the way, considering how many partners you've had, do you test regularly?"

"I've had almost everything in the books except for stuff that sticks for life," Sanji answered, eating through a handful of popcorn.

"And this inspires me to want to sleep with you?"

"Hopefully not 'sleeping'…"

"My Angel side recoils from you, but the Demon part of me wants to know every gory detail," Law muttered bitterly, sitting back down on the couch with his arms crossed tightly. "As a human, I'm disgusted at how you play around so much and yet I can't help being curious about it."

"I mean, if we're going to be honest, that's honesty."

"Yeah, thanks for that."

"It's just _sex_."

"But isn't it important to value one's self?"

"In this day and age? You don't have to date to get it. You were on Tinder, you know it."

"But I thought it was a chance to meet people."

"It's a set up for _sex_."

"There's a process that leads up to it – "

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you and your third date values. You're so adorable," Sanji added dopily. "Like a forty year old virgin. I just want to violate and degrade you down to my level, but _lovingly_."

Law was sure that wasn't a compliment, frowning at him. Both of them admired Ryan Reynolds in his fat suit, faces shiny with appreciation. Once he transformed into his 'good' self, both of them resumed their conversation.

"I mean," Law said, counting off with his thumb first, "nothing over the top, no toys, no fucking weird scenes, no porn-style set-ups, no goddamn animals, nothing involving public or home toilets."

"We can lock Bepo in the bathroom," Sanji said thoughtfully.

" _I mean_ , they can't be introduced into the scene at any time!"

Sanji looked pouty, Law looking at him incredulously. "Are you for real? _Animals_?"

"I take it you've never – "

"NO! _STOP_!" Law cried, hands over his ears.

" – thought of having sex in the ocean, but whatever."

Lowering his hands, Law then resumed his rules. "No food, no edibles, nothing that requires batteries."

Sanji looked disappointed.

"No female cosplay!"

"Why are you sucking the fun out of everything?"

"…Well…at least not yet," Law amended after some consideration. "This will be my first time with a man, so…at least let me get used to it. Nothing over the top."

"Okay, well – "

"Definitely _nothing_ that requires an extra person."

"I actually agree with that one."

"I swear, if I walk in here and see an elaborate setup of something brought from a movie set…I'll walk right back out."

Sanji sighed heavily. "There goes my Exploration on Mars theme."

"I was wondering what those fleshy dildo tentacles were! Definitely NO."

Sanji sighed again, disappointment heavy in his features.

"No kinky fanfiction scenes. No dining room or kitchen trysts. No outside shows. No phone sex. No car sex. No gym equipment necessary. No – "

" _Uwaaaaa_!"

"No enemas unless necessary _before_ hand. Or turtles! _No fucking turtles_!"

Sanji gave him a skeptical look. "You must've seen that one with someone else, because once you go turtle you won't go back."

"No golden showers, no chocolate fantasies, nothing that means having to drink or taste fluids or solids."

"Well, wait…"

"NO! _SPIT_!" Law insisted. "If you don't, I swear, we're using condoms for that. The ugly, really thick ones that leave you tasting latex for days. Er, well…so I'm told…"

Sanji grumbled.

"Hmm, I think I've covered everything. Other than that, sex is fine when I'm ready. When _I'm ready_!" Law stressed. "No surprise sex. Examples being, I don't want to wake up and find myself being molested, no pouncing when I come home, or in the middle of dressing, or during any morning and evening dumps."

Sanji furrowed his brow as he looked at him from the side of his eye.

"Oh, and I'd appreciate it if we both showered first. Because…well…obviously."

"She must've been _miserable_ to survive these conditions," Sanji said with concern, Law frowning at him. "Clothes on or off?"

"Um…maybe off. Well, yes, _off_ because it's not going to be an impulsive matter. It's not that I'm - ! _Modest_ about these things," Law said slowly, "it's just…you're so experienced. I need these rules so I can ease into it, and not enter it like…one of your stupid characters from the movies."

"Then who tops? I'm comfortable either or."

Law froze. Out of everything he'd thought of, he definitely hadn't thought of that one. It suddenly occurred to him that this was important – it wasn't automatically determined. His lips pursed. "Let me get back to you on that one."

"Ah, the only way you'd know is if…" Sanji then smirked. He held out his hand. "Okay. _Deal_. I can follow your rules."

Law looked at him suspiciously, backtracking to make sure that he'd released his rules in the order he'd thought of them. But he was pretty sure he'd made himself very clear with every one of them.

He licked his lips nervously and said, "It's not like I'm against the idea – I do, I…I have no questions of myself or about the act, I just…prefer dipping my toes in first. Which reminds me, no foot action."

Sanji looked pissed.

Law looked at him incredulously, hand to his heart. "… _Really_? Even _that_? Have you ever had a conversation with God over what's appropriate - ?"

"You don't know what you're voluntarily missing out on," Sanji told him with confidence. "Here, shake on it. It's a deal."

Once they shook, Law wondered if he made the task impossible but he could count on Sanji taking the lead where he felt uncertain. He was aware he sounded boring as hell compared to Sanji's experience, but it was just a start. He was actually looking forward to it – he wasn't going to lie to himself, he was physically attracted to the other man. He was pretty certain once they cleared the first hurdles, everything would be fine from then on.

"So…that's a lot of conditions put on me just to have my wings grow," Sanji said, crunching on his popcorn with a smirk. "It's only fair that I get to make some in return."

Law froze again. He ended up fiddling with his thumbs nervously. "Okay, that's fair."

Setting aside his popcorn, Sanji sat on his knees to face him eagerly, grasping his fiddling fingers with his hot, sweaty hands. "First off, no more pushing me away. Second, _trust_ me. Third – I get to dress you."

Law waited for him to say more, but Sanji sat back on his heels with an expectant expression. "That's it?"

"That's _it_."

"That's not fair!"

"Them's the conditions."

"You're so simple," Law commented on a tone of disbelief. He snatched his hands away to prod at Sanji's hair and scalp. "Where's your fucking halo?"

"You're not going to find it there," Sanji said with a smirk. "It's lower."

Law withdrew his hands hastily. " _No_."

"Listen," Sanji said smoothly, capturing his hands to place them on his own chest, "you just need to trust me. I'll treat you gently. None of this outrageous stuff until you're comfortable and ready. You just have to take a deep breath and relax when it happens…"

"I'm easily startled," Law confessed nervously.

"I'm a good teacher, no more worries!"

"How many did you teach?" Law then asked suspiciously.

"Ah, the numbers don't matter – "

"Plural?"

" – what matters is that I am the best choice for your first, because I'll cater to you every minute of the way." Bringing one of Law's hands to his mouth, Sanji gave each finger a kiss, speaking between each one and ending with one on his palm. Despite his nervousness, Law was enraptured with the gentle attention, feeling his face warm while his vision latched onto the action. "Your first time will be _amazing_."

"Don't treat me like a woman," Law warned him.

"Wouldn't dream of it! Now, since we're not doing anything, as amazing as this movie is, why don't we start this off slowly?"

"I think I should shower, first – "

"I was going to suggest taking a bath – together," Sanji added, saying quickly as Law made to speak, "It's a pure way to start getting comfortable with each other's bodies! I'll keep my toes to myself, remove all the water toys, and this will ease your mind into taking that first step with me once you see what you're dealing with."

Law considered it, then gave a little nod. It made him nervous but also eager to plan for the future event. Plus, he felt a little bad for having all his conditions in place while Sanji only asked three things of him – reasonable, easy things that he'd have no problem with.

Once Law consented to that, Sanji leapt off the couch and ran for the master bathroom with a loud 'whoop!' that had Bepo barking and chasing after him.

 _This should be fine_ , Law decided, still nervous as he watched Anna Faris gnaw on Ryan's character. It involuntarily made him think of Sanji eating him. _Later on, I'll look back at this and wonder why it took me so long_.


End file.
